Avenging Angel
by Reality Rejection Service
Summary: A Sith wannabe has corrupted his grandson- so Anakin Skywalker has returned from the grave, and woe betide the First Order. Post-TFA AU.
1. Chapter 1- Waking Up

**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars_. This is the sequel to _Aggressive Negotiation_.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 1- Waking Up**

The first thing Anakin Skywalker was aware of was the blinding light.

 _Ow. Wait…_

It took a moment for Anakin's vision to adjust. When he could finally see, he looked around.

The grass was green. _Obviously not Tatooine_. A slight roll of the head upwards revealed a clear blue sky with puffy white clouds.

A minute later, Anakin managed to sit up and take stock of himself. The first thing he noticed was the apparent lack of clothes. _Oh, Force._

On the plus side, Anakin could see the skin of his torso, legs, and arms. _Wait… I actually HAVE arms and legs now? Yes!_ Anakin decided that he liked this new body.

Anakin reached up to touch his face, and allowed himself to revel in the fact that it was smooth to the touch. He could feel the callouses on his hands, but, when compared to massive burns, callouses were a major upgrade in Anakin's opinion. Anakin would have to look in a mirror to be sure, but if he were to hazard a guess, he would wager that he back in his twenty-three-year-old-body (which meant that he was in his prime in his first life.)

 _The Realm of the Force is not something to be breached lightly. If you attempt this, you shall not return._

The words Anakin had heard before his departure came to mind again. _Well,_ Anakin thought, _I guess I am immortal now. All it took was me dying to get it. I wonder if I'll still look like this._

Anakin would have an eternity to find out. But first, he would need clothes.

As it turned out, clothes were not that hard to find. Anakin found a ship parked not too far away from where he was. At first, Anakin had to do a double-take to make sure that he wasn't hallucinating.

It was the _Falcon_. _Oh sure_ , Anakin thought. _Now I find it_.

* * *

He hid until the walking carpet, the young lady, and- ARTOO?- had moved a fair distance away from the ship before boarding.

As it turned out, there were clothes. They were a little snug (Anakin was a tall man; Captain Solo was shorter than he), but Anakin had to admit- he did look rather dashing. _Must be the leather jacket. If only Padme could see me now…_

Then, there was the pang. _Oh, Padme, I'm so, so sorry…_

If Anakin were honest, he wished Padme could be here right now, if only so that he could get down, on his knees, and _beg_ for her to forgive him- and Anakin _hated_ begging, and hated seeing others beg.

But, Anakin had come back for a reason. Some Sith wannabe had corrupted his grandson, and said grandson had killed his own father. Anakin Skywalker was not about to let it stand, even if he had to tear the galaxy asunder once again.

But, for now, Anakin had to climb some _stairs_.

 _Oh, Force. Ah well- at least I'll get a workout_.

* * *

Turns out, just because one has a body that lesser men would kill to obtain doesn't mean one is in the best shape. Anakin was panting hard by the time he had made it up the last step.

Just ahead, he could hear voices. _Loud voices at that_.

Anakin rounded a corner and saw a very strange sight- a young woman pleading with an old man.

The young woman wore desert brown attire. A big brown staff was slung over one shoulder, and a blaster pistol was tucked into the back of her belt. Anakin wondered who this woman was, but then he got a look at the old man- and that pang came again.

Luke Skywalker, his son, looked _old_. Not even Obi-Wan had looked that old when last they fought. That pang came again, this time much worse than before.

 _I caused this. Ben worshipped me, and look what it has done_.

Then, Rey held out _the_ lightsaber. Anakin recognized it immediately. It had, in another lifetime, been _his_.

The look on Luke's face eerily mirrored the one Anakin was certain he wore. So much pain, sadness, loss, and a hundred emotions Anakin knew weren't good flickered over the older man's face, before settling on confusion.

Then, Luke looked away from the woman- and his gaze found Anakin's- and his face changed again- to an angry look.

Before Anakin knew what was happening, Luke's fist was flying at his face.

* * *

 **Now, to reply to some reviews:**

 **CharlottCAgain: I'm glad you liked _Aggressive Negotiation_. I hope you enjoy this little fic.**

 **fanofthisfiction: Who said that Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker were two different people? And no, Kylo Ren is not getting spoiled anytime soon.**

 **cje24576: I based Anakin's appearance off the movies and the 2008 _Clone Wars_ cartoon. **

**cje24756 and fanofthisfiction: Funny you should mention Padme...**


	2. Chapter 2- The Day Was Going So Well Too

**A/N: I still do not own _Star Wars_. Enjoy Anakin Skywalker causing trouble like he usually does... and getting himself out of it like he usually does.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 2- The Day Was Going So Well, Too**

If one were to ask Luke Skywalker to describe his day so far, he would say that it was _better than most days, now_.

He had been happy once. The Empire had been overthrown, the New Republic was operating well under the leadership of his sister, the New Jedi Order was flourishing under _his_ guidance-

Then, _that_ day.

The day that Ben Solo returned after a self-imposed exile- and destroyed all Luke had sworn to build.

On that day, as Luke held his dead wife in his arms, he had screamed to the heavens his agonizing question: _is THIS what being a Skywalker is like? Am I_ _ **DESTINED**_ _to suffer heartbreak at every turn?_

 _Is everyone around me going to_ _ **DIE**_ _?_

And thus, Luke went into exile, searching for a fable. Han Solo, who felt responsible for what had happened (and Luke didn't even bother to try to tell Han that it wasn't his fault because, really, words were hollow at that point) had helped him, even, in the search for a place they both knew did not exist.

And so, the long exile began. Luke was eagerly waiting for the day when death would come for him, and he could join with the Force, and finally, maybe, meet his father. He had so many questions to ask.

Then, he felt the Force shift, almost as if something had broken through a wall. Curious, Luke had searched his surroundings for any sign of intrusion.

Then, he saw the _Millennium Falcon_ approach. Luke couldn't help the pang even as he knew that Han wasn't the one piloting it.

Then, he saw the old ship fly _low_ over the waves. That surprised the old Jedi master. _Only an insane, skilled pilot would dare attempt such a maneuver_.

Which, of course, had brought Luke back to thinking of Han.

Which was when _she_ had found him.

 _She_ being Rey. Luke knew full well who she was, and honestly, Luke was planning on withholding that information until a later date. He could detect the nervous anxiety, the energy, the urge to get out and _do_ and avenge a man she had barely known.

Yes, Rey needed an inner calm before he would tell her.

And then, _he_ appeared.

 _He_ being the one man Luke would rather have not seen right then. The man who was responsible, even in death, for the state of the galaxy.

The man Ben Solo had worshipped.

Anakin Skywalker. Darth Vader. _Father_.

And so, Luke Skywalker, a man that life had just beaten down upon time after time after time, who was just _sick and tired of this crap_ , lunged at Anakin Skywalker.

* * *

Anakin was surprised for all of an instant that Luke was attacking him. Then, instincts acquired and honed through years of almost constant battle kicked in-

And Anakin blocked Luke's punch, grabbing Luke's metal hand in his left. Luke's other fist shot up, and Anakin blocked that too. A half-step forward with his left foot, and Luke couldn't kick him in the stomach. Luke definitely tried to sweep Anakin's legs out, but Anakin saw that coming, and a quick shift in posture kept him in place.

Anakin then shoved forward, pushing Luke away, and before Luke could react, Chewbacca attacked. Anakin dodged a massive swipe from the Wookie, spinning away.

Then, Anakin heard the all-too familiar sound of a lightsaber igniting.

Anakin caught Rey coming out of the corner of his eye, and took a half step forward, dodging the incoming blade, which passed behind his back, before Anakin grabbed Rey's wrist.

Anakin could feel the Force flowing through her. Still, she was relatively untrained save for a few years at Luke's Academy.

"Twerp," Anakin snarled, as he twisted Rey's wrist, causing her to lose her grip on the saber. Anakin spun around to avoid another swipe from Chewie, using the move to grab the saber and spin away.

Rey shifted now, taking the _very large stick_ in her hands. Chewie now had his bowcaster out.

And Luke just stood there.

Anakin took that moment to look at the saber in his hands. It had, in what was another life for Anakin, been his.

 _Hello, old friend,_ Anakin thought ruefully. Then, Anakin did something that was totally unexpected, yet classic Anakin Skywalker.

He turned the saber off, and hooked it to his belt.

"Hello there."

"Why are _you_ here?" Luke asked, clearly annoyed.

Anakin sighed. "I am here, because it is _my_ fault that the galaxy is the way it is." He started pacing now, walking towards (but not really towards) Rey, using the Force to pull her big stick into his hand. He knew she had a blaster tucked in her belt, and knew that she was reaching for it now.

So, Anakin chose his next words carefully. "I am here to end Kylo Ren."

"And _why_ couldn't you have done it sooner?" Luke asked. "It might have saved the galaxy a lot of pain."

"Oh, believe me, _son_ , I tried. I appeared to Kylo Ren. I begged him not to become another me. He doesn't fear me as much as he fears Snoke."

Anakin heard the gasp behind him; _Rey can connect the dots. Good. Perhaps she_ _ **can**_ _do this after all_.

Anakin was now staring Luke dead in the eye. "Luke… I am so, so, sorry. _I_ am to blame. If I had only known…"

Anakin chuckled, but it was the dry sort. "You did a marvelous job, Luke, rebuilding that which I had torn down. I am proud to call you my son. I know Padme, if she were here, would be too."

"Padme?" Luke asked, still a little bitter, still a little shocked, but now surprised.

"Padme," Anakin nodded. "My wife. Your mother. Leia's mother. Obi-Wan should have told you."

Luke chuckled that same dry chuckle. "No, he didn't… Father."

Anakin swore, even though he was slightly pleased that one of his children called him Father, the one title Anakin had always wanted. "He should have- I don't think he could deal with things very well. You would do well not to follow his example."

Luke snorted. "Why do you think I made my lightsaber green when I built it? Yoda was more of a teacher to me."

"True. But, Luke, please, do not be like Obi-Wan; Rey needs to _know_. And she needs to know from _you_."

"Excuse my interruption," Rey spoke now, "but can you please not talk about me like I'm not here? And what do I need to know?"

"That," Anakin spoke, cutting Luke off, "is something Luke will tell you when you are ready. For now, _twerp_ , you will train."

 _Way to throw me under the airspeeder, Father,_ Luke thought bitterly.

* * *

The Force watched all of this.

 _ **He has breached the barrier in his haste to set things right. He cannot return. He may make things worse if he is not careful.**_

 _ **He must be held in check. Only the Angel could do that. Perhaps this time, he will listen to the Angel.**_

And so, the Force worked on sending another- its Angel back into the physical world.

* * *

 **CharlotteCAgain: Anakin would, I think, not be pleased. After all, it is somewhat his fault that the galaxy is the way it is.**

 **DawnDayrider: You brought up a good point. I hope I explained it well enough.**

 **Maria Paula: Well, it's not quite funny, and I'm taking my sweet time before it all goes downhill.**

 **WeylandCorp4: All in good time.**


	3. Chapter 3- Headaches

**A/N: Still do not own _Star Wars._**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 3- Headaches**

Later, after everything had calmed down (mostly), Rey finally started her Jedi training.

Which translated into her sitting at a campfire surrounded by a Wookie, an astromechs droid, a Jedi living in exile, and _Darth Vader himself_.

 _Well, it could be worse_ , she thought. _That bantha-poodoo could also be here too-_

 _I heard that_.

Rey's eyes widened so much that Rey feared the might pop out of her skull. _No…_

 _Oh yes_ , Kylo Ren's voice spoke inside her head. _When I had you strapped down, and I tried to get in, I established a link between my mind and yours. Isn't it great?_

Rey certainly didn't think it was great- and the migraine that caused her to curl up in the fetal position (thanks to good ol' Kylo Ren!) only reinforced that opinion.

"Rey? REY!" a voice called to her. Rey didn't fully register it, though- she was already blacked out.

* * *

Anakin and Luke had sat as far away from each other as they could. One had so many questions but not enough answers; one had so many answers to questions he didn't want asked.

Both were incredibly awkward. For Luke, he had, for the longest time, wondered who his father was. Even after he'd found out the horrible truth, he still thought of the man under that infamous suit as Father- but he wanted to know _why_.

 _Why_ did Anakin Skywalker become a Jedi?

 _Why_ did he become Darth Vader?

 _Why_ did _Darth Vader_ save him on the Second Death Star?

 _Why?_

Luke had been so lost in thought (really, they all had been) that he'd not even noticed Rey falling over at first.

Luckily, Anakin had.

"Rey? REY!"

Luke had hurried over to where Rey lay on the ground. Anakin had already beaten him there, and was checking Rey's vitals, before placing two fingers on her forehead.

"What is it?" Luke asked.

"Not good," Anakin replied. "Force Migraine. A Dark technique."

"You recognize it, I wager," Luke said, his tone equal parts dry and concerned.

"I would, _Son_. I have performed this technique too many times not to. I fear that either Snoke or Ren has caused it. Do you know if either one interrogated Rey at all?"

"No," Luke answered. Chewie, however, spoke up. _The new cub was caught by Kylo Ren on Takodana. We found her on Starkiiler Base; the new cub had freed herself._

 _Well,_ Anakin thought. _That settles it_.

Taking Rey's hand in his, Anakin closed his eyes, and delved deep into the Force to find the link between his errant grandson and the Twerp.

 _Alright, grandson, you wanted me to show you the Darkness? I can do that._

Finding the link wasn't all that hard; severing it was the challenge. Simply breaking the link would hurt those on both ends. Slowly disconnecting from both sides was safer, but could take time.

Anakin found several points where the link connected to Rey. Disconnecting her was fairly simple, as Force Bonds such as this were strengthened over time, with repeated contact with the person on the other end. If the contact was prolonged and often, that strengthened it, too.

Rey and Kylo Ren had only met once or twice at the most, so within seconds, Rey was disconnected.

 _Now for Ren…_

Anakin took the loose end of the link, and connected himself to it. Then, Anakin used Ren's own technique against him.

 _AARRGGHH!_

 _I warned you, boy. How does it feel, the Darkness? Doesn't it feel_ _ **great**_ _?_

And with that, Anakin disconnected himself from Kylo Ren. He was about to return to consciousness when he felt... something.

 _What… no. NO. NO!_

And a presence that he had not felt in a _very_ long time flooded his senses.

 _She's_ _ **ALIVE**_ _?!_

* * *

Luke felt the massive shift in the Force, too. He could also sense the immense shock and _pain_ and- _joy?-_ rolling off of Anakin in waves, before the man himself woke up from his trance and sat up.

The look on his face broke Luke's heart. So much sorrow and agony was contained in it.

Luke knew better, though, than to ask Anakin about it. The man was clearly a closed-off person, and they had only truly met that day.

* * *

Across the galaxy, Leia Organa felt it.

To her, it was like watching lightning hit the ground from miles away; you know you won't feel a thing, but you jump anyway.

 _Luke would probably know more than I would. He can handle it,_ she thought.

Then, later that day, she felt it again. There was a slow building up to it, this time.

And, like just about everything that happened with the Force, it just had to be right in the middle of a status report Leia was giving to some Senators who agreed with her that the First Order was bad news, and were quietly funding her campaign.

Poe Dameron had, thankfully, caught the faraway look in her eyes and took over the briefing. The boy had earned his place in the Resistance leadership.

 _What is it now?_ Leia wondered. She was getting too old for this.

Leia strolled about the base, hoping to clear her head. Unfortunately, she also took a trip down Memory Lane.

For most people, Memory Lane can be a generally happy place. For Leia, many of her fondest memories had now become material for sorrow.

She got so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the young Resistance officer until after they had collided.

"Are you okay?" Leia asked.

"I'm fine… General," the young officer answered, in a distinctly feminine voice.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you," Leia said.

"It's fine," the other woman answered. "I didn't see you either."

"Alright then." And both women walked off in opposite directions. It didn't occur to Leia that the young lady hadn't saluted her. Ah, well- Leia hadn't been that big on procedure. There was, however, one question that bugged her, now:

 _What kind of name is Naberrie?_


	4. Chapter 4- Decisions, Decisions

**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars_.**

* * *

 **Star Wars, Avenging Angel Chapter 4- Decisions, Decisions**

The morning after Rey's brush with Kylo Ren, her Jedi training really began.

After a nice long sleep on the _Falcon_ (which meant that everyone only had one nightmare apiece), Luke and Anakin led Rey outside to begin some warm-up exercises. As Rey stretched her muscles to get them working (and wake her up), Anakin pulled Luke aside.

"I need to ask you something, Son," Anakin began, not wanting to beat around the bush.

"What is it, Father?" Luke asked.

 _It's kind of weird that a man thrice my age calls me Father_. "Who should train Rey?"

"I haven't quite thought that far ahead," Luke answered. "Part of me wants to do it, part of me would rather turn her over to you."

"I would be a horrible teacher," Anakin said. "My first apprentice left the Order, and I myself burned it to the ground."

"But you know what the Dark Side feels like," Luke countered. "I feel that Rey would do better against the Darkness if she knew what it was. I'm no expert, but the Migraine- that was only a taste, wasn't it?"

"You're right- but you just can't pass her off to me because you still think you failed your nephew," Anakin argued. "That is something _you_ need to work on. If anyone is to blame for what happened with Ben, it is _me_ because he worships me. He probably did as a child, yes?"

"Sadly, you're right. We'll still have time to figure it out, though; Rey has some work to do if she wants to get into the proper shape."

"That she does," Anakin agreed. "The day she can beat both of us in a fight is the day she's ready. But there's more I want to ask you?"

"Yes?"

Anakin paused, wanting to choose his next words carefully. "You need to consider going back to the Resistance. Every day we spend here is another day the First Order rebuilds, strengthens, and soon, they will be ready. Your sister will need all the help she can get."

"I know, Father. It's just… difficult. I haven't seen Leia since… you know…"

"I do. Luke, I abandoned my family when they needed me most- twice. I cannot let that happen again." He nodded towards Rey. "She is family. Are you just going to leave her to face Kylo Ren again? If so, then she will _die_ , and then where will you be?"

Luke sighed. "I'll think about it." Then, oddly enough, he smiled wryly. "She was right about you, though."

"Who, Rey?" Anakin asked. _Huh?_

"No- Master Tano. She told me many stories about her time as your Padawan."

"Oh?" Anakin asked. "What did she tell you?"

"She told me stories of Snips and Skyguy, going around and saving the galaxy. She was very helpful in completing my Jedi training, and she helped me rebuild the Order."

 _Atta girl, Snips_. "What happened to her? Did she… when Ben…"

Luke was thoughtful for a moment. "No. She didn't. I don't know where she is, though. Sorry."

"Don't be. If Ahsoka was anything, she was a survivor. I'm glad she helped you, but what convinced her to help out another Skywalker? She had to have known who I was."

Luke sighed. "She did… but she wasn't holding that against you. She said herself that, for the longest time, she held resentment towards the Jedi of your time. She sensed that you did, too, so she didn't blame you; she was no hypocrite."

That brought tears to Anakin's eyes. _Force… my own Padawan didn't hate me. Will wonders never cease?_ Anakin didn't think they would, and he wasn't sure if he would mind if they did.

"Master Skywalker?" Rey called out, jogging over from the field. "I've finished warming up. What next?"

Anakin spoke up, a roguish grin appearing on his face that reminded Luke entirely too much of Han Solo when he was up to something.

"Now, Twerp, we meditate."

"Would you _please_ stop calling me Twerp?" Rey asked.

"Nope."

 _Shavit_ , Rey grumbled.

* * *

Meanwhile, half a galaxy away, Officer Naberrie twitched.

She was sitting in the mess hall during midday meal. She'd been on edge ever since waking up in a strange room on a strange base surrounded by strange people.

The chaos of the mess hall, though, was nothing compared to the chaos in her mind.

 _Is he alive? Is he here?_ She had looked everywhere she was allowed to go, but there was no sign of _him_. It was driving her almost insane, looking over her shoulder like this.

Which was why, when the Resistance pilot guy had slid smoothly into the seat across the table, she'd nearly jumped out of her skin. Which almost sent her tray flying.

"Easy there," the newcomer said. "You look like you're waiting for someone."

"I am," Officer Naberrie replied curtly.

 _Geez, playing hard to get?_ Poe wondered. "Do you know when they'll show up?"

"No."

"Why don't I keep you company until they do? You seem like the friendly type."

"Is there any _other_ type?"

"Sadly," Poe sighed, "there is. There's the fan club that I seem to have picked up."

"Oh?" Naberrie asked, feeling slightly more at ease. "How so?"

"When you blow up Starkiller Base, you tend to become a name around here."

 _Huh?_ Naberrie wondered. Years of learning how to mask one's emotions rushed back. "Ah. I see. You must be that Dameron guy."

"Please, call me Poe. Dameron makes me sound so old."

"Well, if you insist on me calling you Poe, then call me… Padme."

And so they talked for quite a while. Padme didn't think of _him_ once.

* * *

 **Now, to reply to some reviews. (I am overdue):**

 **Phoenix Brooke: Awesome penname. I'm working towards an Anidala reunion. Should be a couple more chapters.**

 **The Hope Lions: Here's some more.**

 **Shinigami Merchant: Just wait...**

 **multyfangirl18: As far as I know, Luke and Leia don't know about their extended family in the new canon. (I don't read comics, so I'm not sure if that changed.) As far as the question from your chapter 2 review, no, I'm not waiting until Episode 8. It may be set right after TFA, but we have to wait until Christmas 2017 for Episode 8, and I can't make the people reading this fic wait that long. Heck, _I_ can't wait.**

 **Ryunnotaki: I do feel that Anakin Skywalker would have something to say about what has happened in the galaxy. I also know that Anakin was never one to sit back and let things be for long.**

 **WeylandCorp 4: But does Ben worship Vader more than he fears Snoke?**


	5. Chapter 5- Meditation & Relaxation

**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars_. Review response time:**

 **multyfangirl13: Doing the math, Luke and Leia are in their fifties, but they look much older than that.**

 **pookieortega: You bring up a good point. I think that the person Leia remembers is her _adopted_ mother, not Padme. I did, however, take the liberty of addressing that in this chapter.**

 **The Hope Lions: (evil laughter) Poe's technically a few years older than Padme. However, Anakin never did take too kindly to other men being friendly with his wife. Prime example: Rush Clovis.**

 **Dark Lord of the X-Men: I'm not sure about everyone else, but I would certainly like to see Anakin trash the First the Fall, Anakin and Vader were almost two separate identities. Anakin wore his heart on his sleeve, while Vader was more emotionally closed off. How I'm characterizing Anakin in this fic is sort of a blending of the two. Anakin is still Anakin in that he gets emotionally compromised rather easily, but he's still emotionally closed off (to a degree) and kind of a jerk like Vader was.**

 **As a result, Anakin has the potential to wield both the Light and the Darkness. I kind of teased it in Chapter 3 with Force Migraine. That was also Anakin's first shot at Kylo Ren. There will be more. But here's a thought to ponder: Does wielding the Darkness make one _bad_? Does wielding the Light make one _good_?**

 **CharlotteCAgain and pookieortega: I'm _ever so slowly_ making my way there. It should happen in a few chapters.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel Chapter 5- Meditation and Relaxation**

Anakin had never really hated meditation. He just never liked the fact that he had to sit in one place and reflect on his life for what seemed like forever, because (a) Anakin was always on the move, and (b) there was just too much in his life that Anakin would rather _not_ reflect on.

However, Anakin understood the value of meditation, especially since, during his time as Vader, he didn't so much _meditate_ as it was brooding over the mess his life had become.

Which was how Anakin found himself sitting with his son, a full-grown man (and a fully-fledged Jedi Master in his own right) and the Twerp.

Anakin knew full well that Rey was what she actually called herself. However, he could tell that she wanted to be trained so that she could go avenge Han Solo. Anakin understood that idea of vengeance all too well- it was just not the Jedi way.

 _I'm no Jedi. Let me be the avenging angel- someone else can be the hero_.

Thus, Anakin was determined to temper Rey. The galaxy needed a new set of heroes. Anakin had been one for a time, and so had Luke. Someone else had to take up the mantle.

 _Even if I must meditate to do it_.

The swirling currents of the Force are something that everyone can feel, to some degree, but only a few can actually see them. Fewer still can actually feel them, interact with them.

Anakin, for all of his severe dislike of meditation, was never not amazed by what he could see during it. He could see the web connecting himself, Luke, Twerp, and every living thing in the cosmos.

It was too much to comprehend, so Anakin didn't. Besides, he had more pressing concerns.

 _Ani?_

Anakin had only ever allowed two people in the history of _ever_ to call him that. One was Padme. The other was….

 _Mom?_

* * *

Leia Organa was puzzled.

The young officer that had bumped into her seemed familiar, but no matter how hard she tried, Leia just could not place where she had seen the woman before.

It nagged at Leia- and Leia hated nagging feelings, because they were usually bad.

 _Perhaps some rest would help_. Leia had always been fond of taking a nap; after all, her father (Bail Organa, _not_ Darth Vader, oh no no _no_ ) told her often that a good nap never hurt anyone, young or old.

So Leia made her way back to her quarters. Lying on the nightstand next to her bed was an old datapad about the Clone Wars.

 _Hmmmm…._ The reading was rather boring, if Leia were honest, but right now she didn't care; she needed a good motivation for taking a nap.

As she was reading, though, that nagging feeling returned. Then Leia glimpsed a picture, during a section about the destruction of the _Malevolence_. And froze.

There, on the screen as plain as day, was an image of Officer Naberrie. But… this was an anthology about the Clone Wars, which happened roughly _fifty years ago_.

 _How?_ Leia wondered. Naberrie was even wearing a military uniform that was eerily similar to Leia's own. _Fits her well_.

Not for the first time, Leia wondered where Artoo was. Bail had said once that Artoo had belonged to her real father, which meant that Artoo had survived the Clone Wars.

* * *

Anakin was utterly speechless.

 _Mom?_

 _I'm here, Ani._

Tears welled up in Anakin's eyes. _I'm so_ _ **sorry**_ _, Mom._

 _Don't be. You tried to protect your family._

 _But I_ _ **lost**_ _them. I lost_ _ **you**_ _._

 _So?_ _ **Get them back.**_ _Set things_ _ **right**_ _. After all, isn't that why you returned to life?_

 _Yes, Mom._

 _Good. Now_ _ **GO**_ _._

When Anakin opened his eyes, He looked around, but saw no sign of his mother.

Then, he felt a distinct warm sensation of his back that seemed to be moving in circles- as if someone was rubbing it. He recognized that touch.

 _Mom…._

And Anakin wept.

Luke and Rey were brought out of their meditations by Anakin's weeping. Rey moved to go to Anakin, but Luke stopped her.

"Anakin has always been someone who needed to deal with things on his own, Rey. Let him be."

"Yes, Master."

"Come- let's begin some basic exercises. I want to see how much you know."


	6. Chapter 6- Priorities

**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars_. This chapter is a tad long, though, but we're getting close to that... reunion... we've all been waiting for. Also, I do yank a few things straight out of the _Expanded Universe_. Why? Because... I _can,_ Disney!**

 **Review response time:**

 **Dark Lord of the X-Men: I think those hidden armadas were incorporated into the First Order. It's been 30 years, but you have a solid idea. **

**Now, about Revan... Oh, I know who he is, and what he can do. If I put him in, then we have _two_ immortal Force wielders running around, and that's just to crazy. Although, Revan would totally trash Anakin. See, while Anakin and Revan are both immortal because they came out of the Force, Anakin still cares (to an extent) about people. He has kids and grandkids, after all. Those attachments hold him back, to a degree.**

 **Revan does not have those attachments. Therefore, he has no one holding him back. Revan would beat the snot out of Anakin, Luke, _and_ Rey at the same time. (Yeah, sure, Rey's OP and yada yada yada, but Revan is _way_ OP.)**

 **You do have some valid points, though.**

 **Phoenix** **Brooke:** **Leia is working on that. She would rather _not_ scare someone who she admired once upon a time. (It's EU-canon that Leia admired Senator Amidala, but had no clue she was her daughter until much, much later.)**

 **CharlotteCAgain: Thank you.**

 **multyfangirl18: You keep asking all the right questions! I hope this answers them a little.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 6- Priorities**

"You want me to _what_?"

Rey was astounded. Again. Her training always found new ways to completely _floor_ her.

It had been the routine for weeks- she would get up with the sunrise and then wait for Master Luke and Anakin to get up. Neither of them were early risers, it seemed.

Once one of them woke up, (usually Luke), she would start meditation. The incident with Kylo Ren inducing a Force Migraine from across the galaxy had spurned Luke to focus on teaching the young upstart how to shield her mind, as well as focus more on the spiritual aspects of the Force.

Once Anakin woke up (which was usually mid-morning), he would go off on his own to meditate. Luke would often join him, leaving Chewbacca to watch her.

Then, after midday meal, Anakin would take over, teaching Rey all about the _physical_ aspects of the Force. This entailed a lot of physical exercise. Suffice it to say, Rey had jogged up and down all those steps more times than she dared count.

Then, there were the Force exercises, which pushed her to her limits physically _and_ mentally. Anakin still called her Twerp, which still annoyed her to no end.

Not to mention, half the time, Rey was utterly confused about what she was supposed to be doing. Anakin was a brutal teacher, but he was rather straightforward. Luke was rather mysterious.

Like now.

"I want you," Luke said, "to look after my garden for a few days. Anakin and I are going on an adventure to one of the neighboring islands. Water the plants every day, pull out any weeds, and so on."

"But… how?"

Luke smirked, in a way that reminded her far too much of Anakin. "That, I leave up to you. Oh, and keep up with your training. Meditate in the morning, workout in the afternoon.

"May the Force be with you."

And with that, Luke and Anakin left. Rey stood stock still, her mouth hanging open in the most comical manner possible.

Naturally, Chewie laughed.

Rey was having none of it. "Shut up, you, you… _giant walking carpet_!"

This, naturally, caused Chewie to laugh harder. Rey fumed.

* * *

Meanwhile, halfway across the galaxy, Leia was on a mission.

She had just discovered that one of her officers bore a too-close resemblance to one of the Old Republic's greatest heroes, and she wanted answers.

However, on her way to the officer's quarters, she bumped into Poe Dameron.

"Apologies, General Organa," he said, slightly out of breath, "but Finn just woke up."

"That's good news, Commander," Leia said. _Finally, something good has happened around here_. There was a brief moment where Leia weighed questioning Naberrie and visiting Finn.

 _Mysterious officer, or a man who turned his back on everything and stood up to my son?_

"Mind I if go with you?"

Officer Naberrie could wait a few minutes. She didn't seem to pose a threat; however, if she was indeed a spy, she needed to know. And talk _had_ been swirling about her and Poe…

As they walked, Leia had to ask. "Poe- have you had the chance to meet any of the new recruits?"

"Why yes," Poe said, his smile growing a little wider. "I have. I met a nice young lady a few weeks ago- Padme, that was her name."

 _Padme. Padme Naberrie. Huh._

"Is she nice?"

"Oh, she's _real_ nice," Poe agreed. "A real…" Poe stopped talking for a moment, as if trying to find the right word, before snapping his fingers. "Angel, that's it. A real angel."

"Notice anything… off about her?"

Poe raised an eyebrow, wondering why in the galaxy that would matter, but still, this _was_ General Organa; she wasn't one to do things without a _really_ good reason for it. "Now that you mention it… she's a little jumpy at times, as if she's… watching for someone. That's really it, though."

 _Hmmm…_ Leia thought. _Who could she be watching for? Is she running from someone?_

By this point, however, Leia and Poe had found Finn in the Infirmary. Finn was still in rough shape, but he grinned broadly when they entered, clasping Poe's hand in a manner only brothers could have.

"Well, Finn, it's good to see you're awake," Poe said in greeting.

"Good to be alive," Finn said, his voice not quite as strong as it was, but not quite a whisper. "Did we win?"

"Yeah," Leia spoke up. "We did. Poe here fired the lucky shots."

Finn's already big grin widened further. "Awesome, man. I wish I'd have been awake to see it."

"Trust me," Poe said, "it was… impressive."

Finn nodded, but then the grin faded as he looked around. "Where's Rey?"

Leia and Poe looked at each other, frowning. "Rey left, Finn," Poe answered. "We found where Luke Skywalker's been hiding all this time. She went to go get him."

Fin nodded again in understanding. "I see. Did she… did she get the guy who sliced me up?"

"She did, buddy. Why don't you rest? We'll have you up again in no time."

Finn yawned. "Sounds… good." And soon, the young man was sound asleep.

* * *

Anakin thought the peace and quiet were a bit too much.

He and Luke had traveled by rowboat to a nearby island that had a set of ruins on it. And by rowboat, Anakin meant that he and Luke had had to power the thing themselves.

Needless to say, Anakin's whole body ached when they arrived. _Perfect body, my-_

"Father?" Luke said. "You were swearing again."

Anakin grumbled out some words in Huttese, Ancient Naboo (they were pros at swearing, Anakin discovered,) and a few more non-Basic languages at the fact that his own son was calling him out for swearing.

" _Dad_ ," Luke said.

"Sorry, Son," Anakin said, somewhat sheepishly. "I just have a lot on my mind, you know?"

Luke understood all too well- even as he had so many questions.

That night, Luke finally asked the question that had been plaguing him for weeks since Anakin had appeared. However, he wanted to be careful, as he suspected that the topic of his mother was a _very_ sensitive one.

"I've wanted to ask," Luke said, as the two sat around the fire, "for a while now, about Mom. I just… I couldn't put together the right words.

"Who was she, Dad?"

Anakin stopped cold. His heart clenched in his chest, and guilt overwhelmed him once again.

"She was… an _angel_ , Luke." Anakin stared off into the distance. "When I first met her, she looked like an angel to me. Even more so when she actually spent _time_ with me.

"You must understand, son, that I was a slave a long time ago. Mom and I didn't have much, but what we did have, we cherished. So for an angel like her to be a friend to a slave like me made my miserable life a little less miserable."

Anakin chuckled. "When she told me she was pregnant with _our_ child, I was… oh, Luke, there _are_ no words. Ecstatic, overjoyed, dizzy, you name it, I felt it.

"It was the happiest moment of my life. Matter of fact, one of the few times we 'disagreed' was on the gender of the baby. We didn't know that there were _two_ of you."

"What did Mom think the baby was?"

"She wanted a son. She had one sister, but no brothers, and no nephews, only nieces."

"And what about you?"

"Me? I wanted a daughter. Someone just as beautiful as Padme, who I would spoil absolutely rotten- and scare away all the boys who _dared_ try to court her.

"Lo and behold, we both got what we wanted. A son who became a Jedi like his father, but with the heart of his mother, and a daughter with the compassion of her mother and the fire of her father.

"And I couldn't be prouder of them both."

Luke choked up, but didn't cry. _Guess I have run out of tears_.

"What was your wife like, Luke?"

It was Luke's turn to stare off into space. "Her name was Mara Jade. She was… _fiery_. Her hair was bright red, and she was the Emperor's Hand.

Luke then smirked roguishly, and Anakin saw another thing that Luke had picked up from him. "She was also my biggest fan, post-Endor. So much so that she chased me and my friends all across the galaxy to try and meet me."

Anakin started laughing at that. He laughed so hard that it took several minutes to regain his composure.

"Well, Luke- we both have _interesting_ taste. Tell me, did you finally meet her?"

"Yep- and she tried to kill me. On multiple occasions. It seems that the Emperor had sent her a message as he fell- and the message was 'KILL LUKE SKYWALKER!'

"Sore loser," Anakin muttered.

"You tell me _now_. I swear, I can still feel his lightning coursing through me sometimes."

"So, how did you resolve that little hurdle?" Anakin asked.

"Well, some idiot made a clone of me, and Mara killed the clone. Problem solved."

"How?"

"The clone was named Luuke Skywalker."

"That… is incredibly stupid," Anakin said.

"Yeah. We had some good times. We had one child together."

"I know, Luke- a daughter. You named her Rey, as I recall; a ray of sunshine in an increasingly dark time."

Luke stared at Anakin, slack jawed. "How….?"

"I was a Force ghost, remember? I saw it all."

Luke nodded, abashed. "Oh… right."

"Yeah- so when are you going to tell her?"

"I don't know, Father. How do I tell her why I abandoned her? Why I blocked parts of her mind?"

"Tell her the truth, Luke. Obi-Wan had every good reason to keep the truth about _your_ father from you; he just went about it in a rather poor fashion.

"Rey is a good person, Luke; she still is a ray of sunshine in a dark time. _Tell her_."

"I will, Father. As a matter of fact, that was why I came here. There are a few things I want to check up on before I go."

"Really? Such as?"

"I'd rather show you, Father. It's hard to put into words."

"Alright, then. But you did lie to Rey about how long we'd be gone."

"I did, sort of. I came back here because of the latent Light Side energy in that Temple. I want to re-establish my connection to the Force fully before I leave; I think I'll need it. I don't know how long it will take."

Anakin understood. "You know… I thought this place was a legend, a fable. I guess I was wrong."

Luke shrugged. "I thought so, too. I just had to be sure, you know?"

"Nothing wrong with that, Son." Anakin yawned then. "Goodnight, Luke."


	7. Chapter 7- Faint Hint of Danger

**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars._ Now, time to respond to some reviews:**

 **The Hope Lions: Stay with me here.**

 **multyfangirl18: We're getting close.**

 **Dark Lord of the X-Men: Anakin vs. Poe? _That_ I can do. (And probably will; just give me a few chapters.)** **But "Phoenix Flyer"? That I did _not_ know. Thanks!**

 **Revan as a Force Ghost? That I can do, too. The way I see it, if anyone could help Anakin control his Dark Side, it could only be someone who had done it before. Mace Windu is dead, I never really liked the guy (and neither did Anakin), so that pretty much leaves Revan.**

* * *

 **Star Wars- Avenging Angel, Chapter 7- A Faint Hint of Danger**

The old temple was old.

Well, wait- it was less of a temple, and more of a village. What had been buildings scattered here and there, what _had been_ the temple smack dab in the middle of it all.

Anakin had had some bad experiences with these kinds of places, both as a Jedi and as a Sith. Strangely enough, this place was peaceful, quiet, serene.

Which put Anakin more than a little on edge. Luke may have become a Jedi, but Anakin had been a soldier; peaceful to him was getting a good night's sleep in Padme's arms because he didn't have nightmares.

Thinking of Padme, though, would put Anakin in a rather melancholy mood, and he only had himself to blame for literally _all of it_. During his meditation, Anakin worked diligently to manage his constantly turbulent emotions, and Padme was dead center at the core of the issue.

So Anakin worked hard to let her go. Padme was alive again; the last thing she needed was to be shackled to a remnant of her old life.

"Father? You zoned out again." Luke said, snapping his fingers in front of Anakin's face, which snapped Anakin out of his melancholy state.

 _Kriffin' bloody-_

"And you're swearing again," Luke said, walking off.

 _Grrrrr…. I swear,_ Anakin thought, _I'm going to beat Luke's punk a-_

"Heard that too!"

"Yes, _Master_ …"

Anakin felt Luke's flash of indignation through the Force. _Gotcha, kid,_ he taunted through their bond.

 _OH, COME ON!_ Luke whined. _Do you_ always _have to have the last word?_

 _Yep._

The two men trekked into the Temple, where Luke strode purposefully over to a pillar that had fallen a _long_ time ago, and moved it with a wave of his hand. A nice, big hole was revealed, and within lay a large wooden trunk.

"What's in the trunk, Luke?" Anakin asked.

"A great many things, Father," Luke answered, more than a little morose. Luke used the Force to lift the trunk out, and with a flick of the wrist, the trunk was opened.

What was within almost made Anakin cry. There were vacuum-sealed bags that could only contain Jedi robes, and hard copies of pictures of Luke and Leia's respective families in beautiful frames. One, in particular, caught his eye.

"Is this Ben?"

"It is."

Anakin set it down, only to pick up another image. "Mara Jade. I never thought I would see a genuine smile on her face."

"You mentioned that you were… colleagues of the worst sort."

"Yeah. But, we both agreed on one thing- we never gave each other crap of any kind, because we knew that the other would dish it right back out. Mara was one of the few people that I felt could actually beat me. I never did tell her that."

As horrible as Anakin's time as Vader had been, Luke was forever fascinated by it.

The two men continued to unpack the trunk. At the bottom of the trunk, was a long metal case, which Anakin grabbed, having a feeling that he knew what it was. He set it on the pillar.

"Your lightsabers?"

"Yes," Luke said, voice thick with many emotions. "Mine and… Mara's.

Anakin opened the box, and pulled out the two hilts. He remembered Luke's well. "You built a fine weapon, son." Anakin said, remembering full well that he had been Vader when he'd examined it.

But, to his everlasting shock, he recognized Mara's hilt, too.

"I… remember this one."

"You do?"

"Yes. Jedi Master Mace Windu. Next to Yoda, he was the highest-ranking Jedi Council member. He had developed his own lightsaber form, Vaapad, which channeled one's inner Dark Side. He was the sole practitioner of the form."

"And yet, he had a purple blade."

"We all have our quirks, Luke."

"What happened to him?"

"He… was my first Jedi casualty. He was going to murder Palpatine, and at the time, I was too tired and desperate to think straight. If I recall, Palpatine made a shrine out of the lightsabers of the Jedi I killed and recovered their blades from; Mara picked up that one out of spite for me."

"Your Jedi were surprisingly dark."

"The war _changed_ us, Luke. We were meant to be _negotiators_ and _diplomats_ , not _soldiers_. We were not ready to sacrifice thousands of lives on a slim chance of victory. I'm surprised the Old Republic didn't collapse sooner.

"But, enough reminiscing. We've done so much of that already. Do you still need to meditate before we leave?"

"Yes."

"In that case, I'll load up everything and meet you back here."

"That trunk is heavy, Father; are you sure-"

Luke was cut off by Anakin lifting the trunk _and the assorted contents_ into the air without so much as looking at them. Luke sighed. _Show off_.

 _You betcha,_ Anakin replied.

Several hours later, Luke and Anakin rowed back to camp, Luke's connection to the Force fully re-established. Once there, they broke camp, loaded on to the _Falcon_ , and blasted off to D'Qar.

* * *

Padme was… jumpy.

She'd been on edge a lot lately, ever since she had woken up in officer's quarters somewhere. Now, though, she was _really_ on edge. The slightest sound made her jump, the slightest touch made her jerk in her seat, and she _had no idea why_.

Poe had noticed the change, too. Being the nice guy that he was, he made sure to always approach Padme (his new lunch partner) from an angle where she could easily see him, and made sure that his standard-issue blaster was out of her line of sight. (Poor girl had almost broken his arm once when he'd tried to surprise her with chocolates from Naboo. That the planet was her homeworld was really the only piece of backstory Poe had about her.)

Now, being on edge would make one assume that Padme was unfit for duty. On the contrary, Padme was remarkably calm when doing exercises, drills, simulations, or pretty much any stressful situation (including a First Order attack on a nearby star system. One lucky cadet was in the infirmary and not a grave because she'd saved them.)

Poe had noticed that her hands, which would be anything _but_ steady around the salt and pepper shakers during lunch, would be perfectly still holding a blaster.

 _What a mystery I've gotten myself into_ , Poe thought to himself. He was good at reading people, and Poe assessed that Padme was no threat, but there was clearly something.

 _She'll tell me when she feels like it_.

Today, though, was going to be a good day. Finn was getting ready for his bacta bath. The bacta that he would be submerged in were a special kind that was created specifically for dealing with lightsaber injuries. It wouldn't help reattach limbs, but healing other wounds, specifically a damaged spine? Perfect.

Poe was on his way to the infirmary when he bumped into- surprise, surprise- Padme.

"Hey, Padme! How's it going?"

Padme, briefly surprised, took a second to recover. "It goes," she shrugged. "Where are you off to?"

"My buddy Finn's going in the bacta tank. I'm headed over to see him before the big dunk- and snap some holos for the guys."

Poe then snapped his fingers as he realized something. "You haven't met him yet, have you?" When Padme shook her head, Poe's jaw dropped. "Force, that was… _incredibly_ stupid of me. I've told you all about him, but you haven't even _met_ the guy! Come on!" And Poe strode down the hall, motioning for Padme to join him.

 _But,_ Padme protested in her head, _I have things to do… ah kriff it,_ and Padme took off after Poe. The guy was much like Anakin, she mused, except Poe (from what Padme could tell) was actually pretty laid back most of the time. He'd told her all about Starkiller Base and the role he'd played. That took a cool head and nerves of steel- something Anakin had had.

Now, as she strode after Poe towards the infirmary, Anakin didn't even cross her mind _once_. Part of it was Poe being Poe, and the rest was curiosity.

 _Oh Force... what have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

Finn was in good spirits when they arrived. He was happy to see Poe, but looked curiously at Padme before grinning.

"Hi. I'm Finn."

"A pleasure to meet you, Finn. I'm Padme. Poe's told me all about you."

"All good things?"

"Only the good," Poe said.

"If you don't mind me asking… how are you?" Padme asked.

Finn smiled. "Considering I'm not dead, pretty good. I'll be better once I get out of that tank; I want to _walk_ again."

Poe laid a reassuring hand on the other man's shoulder. "And you _will_."

Finn smiled again. "Have you heard from Rey, Poe?"

Poe shook his head. "Nothing yet, Finn. I'll let you know if I do, I promise."

"Thanks."

"Well," Padme said, not wanting to ruin the moment between brothers-in-arms (but she _really_ had places to be and things to do), "I must be going. It was a pleasure to meet you Finn; I hope you get better, and I hope Rey gets in touch."

"Thanks."

The doctors came in just then to take Finn to the tank. Poe and Padme left.

As they walked, Padme asked, "What happened to him? You mentioned a lightsaber battle; is he a Jedi?"

Poe shook his head. "No, he's not, but he was carrying a lightsaber that some old alien had given him to use. Kylo Ren apparently is a big fan of Darth Vader, and since that saber was Vader's once upon a time, he wanted it."

Padme shuddered at the name Darth Vader, something Poe didn't miss. "Finn fought hard, or at least, he said he did. But Kylo Ren has the Force; Finn does not. You can imagine how it went."

"I can. How did Finn survive?"

"Rey picked up the saber and beat Kylo Ren with it."

"So Rey is a Jedi?"

"She left to go train to be one, yes. They supposedly found where Luke Skywalker's been hiding all this time…. You okay, Padme?"

In truth, Padme was _not_ okay. She'd zoned out after hearing the words "Luke Skywalker" and was now swaying dangerously on her feet before slumping against the wall.

Poe, however, managed to catch her before she hurt herself. _What the heck is going on?_ Poe ever so gently picked Padme up off the ground, and totally did not rush back to the infirmary.

 _Perhaps I was wrong… perhaps there_ is _something dangerous about you after all_.

* * *

Meanwhile, a small Corellian freighter, which had more miles on it than a ship like that should ever have, landed on D'Qar.

* * *

 **Check out my latest oneshot, _Friends Who Ship Friends,_ on my profile, as well as a new short(ish) story, _Down To Size_ , starring Ant-Man.**


	8. Chapter 8- Skywalker Slap Fest

**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars._ Review response time:**

 **celticank** **:** **Wish granted. At least for one couple.**

 **CharlotteCAgain** **: Are you sure about that?**

 **Dark Lord of the X-Men: Mace Windu ripped off the ancient Sith? Geez.**

 **multyfangirl18: Oh, it goes down in this chapter.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 8- Skywalker Slap Fest**

Family reunions are such _wonderful_ things.

* * *

As the _Falcon_ touched down, Luke and Anakin rose from their seats as Rey began the post-landing cycle. Anakin fixed Luke with _the look_.

 _Tell her, Luke._

 _I will. I should have said something on the way here, but we were all too tired._

 _I understand. But put it off no longer. I'll be outside._

"Chewbacca? Artoo? Let's go!"

As the trio left, Luke sighed. _Now or never._

Rey was trudging towards the crew quarters to retrieve her things, when Luke stopped her. "Rey? Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure, Master Luke. What is it about?"

"It's somewhat important. Would you care to sit?" Luke motioned to the holotable.

 _Oh, no,_ Rey thought. _This is serious_.

Once the two were seated, Luke began to speak.

"Rey… I have a gift for you."

And with that, Luke unclipped Mara Jade Skywalker's lightsaber from his belt. "This belonged to my wife. She reminded me a lot of you, actually; her name was Mara Jade. Had she met you, I believe would have wanted you to have this when you were old enough."

Rey took the proffered saber, and switched it on, pointing it away from them. "It's… purple."

Luke chuckled. "It is. Do you like it?"

Rey nodded. "I do. How many colors are there?"

"I don't honestly know, Rey. Aside from white, blue, green, red, and purple, I haven't a clue."

 _They come in black, too,_ Anakin butted in on the shared bond.

"I swear," Luke said. "One of these days he's going to regret interrupting."

"Yes- but not today, sadly," Rey muttered.

Luke paused. " Rey…. I have something that I've been meaning to tell you for some time. I just could never assemble the right words until now. As you've probably figured out by now, Rey, the Force is… very strong in my family. I have it, and so does my father."

"Anakin. Who is somehow younger than you."

"The Force works in mysterious ways, Rey. Keep this in mind going forward. Now, as I was saying, my sister also has it. You've met her- General Leia Organa."

"Yes. I've also met her son, who would be _your_ nephew, I guess."

Luke winced. "That is true. But… my wife had it too." Luke then fixed Rey with an odd stare as tears came to his eyes.

"My daughter has this power too."

Rey looked at Luke, puzzled, before sitting back in her seat wondering why Luke said _that_.

 _Luke is a Jedi… his wife_ _ **was**_ _a Jedi…. His daughter-_

 _Daughter._

 _ **Daughter.**_

Tears welled up in Rey's eyes now, as she turned to Luke. "D-dad?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, Rey," Luke said. "I am your father."

And that was when Rey finally cried, as Luke slid next to her to give her a _long_ overdue hug. "I'm sorry, my daughter, for leaving you at such a young age."

This brought Rey out of her crying. She sat up, looked at Luke again-

-and promptly _slapped_ him. Hard.

" _Why?_ "

Luke's shoulders sagged. "The First Order had just destroyed my Jedi Academy. I was a marked man, and so were you, Rey. To keep you safe, I blocked parts of your memory before leaving you on Jakku. I wanted to come for you, but if I did, I'd have to take you with me- and I was, and still _am_ , a marked man. You would've been marked too."

"But…" Rey started. "Why tell me _now_?"

"After what happened on Starkiller Base, I think the First Order will step up its agenda, which means _war_ once again. And as I know firsthand, there should be _no_ secrets in war. Secrets breed mistrust."

"I… I think I understand…. _Father._ "

Luke smiled at being called _Father,_ before his smile turned downright _mischievous._ "Now, then, Rey… tell about this _Finn_ you have spoken so highly of during training."

Rey blanched. _Oh, kriffin' bloody-_

 _ **Language**_ _, Twerp._

 _GET OUT OF MY HEAD, Anakin!_

 _Alright, fine! I'm going, Twerp._

Luke shook his head, having caught the entire mental exchange.

* * *

The cots in the Infirmary, Padme discovered, were not the most comfortable things.

Neither was the set of binders that kept her secured to the thing, either.

 _Kriffin' bloody-_

"I heard that."

Padme turned to see _General Leia Organa_ herself, as well as Poe Dameron, her… uh, what exactly were they?- standing by the cot. _Eh, kriff it_.

"Language, Officer Naberrie."

 _Humph._ "How…. How can you hear my thoughts?"

"A trick I picked up from my _brother_ , Luke, who's a Jedi."

"Oh. So… why the restraints?"

"Poe here tells me you're a bit… _jumpy_ , like you're watching for someone. You fainted when you heard my brother's name.

"So tell me- are you a spy?"

"What? NO! Why would you think that?"

"Because you look _exactly_ like Senator Padme Amidala, who died about _fifty years ago_. Explain _that_."

Now Padme was _oh so close_ to snapping. "I _am_ her, General. Don't ask me how I'm here, because I _don't know_.

"Besides," Padme continued, sitting up in her cot, her tone turning more cynical and… sorrowful? "Is that any way… to address your _mother_?"

Leia froze. So did Poe. Neither of them spoke for several minutes.

Poe's eyes darted between the two women, as if looking for similar features. "You're not kidding, are you?"

Padme's voice dropped into a definitively sad tone. "No, Poe, I'm not."

"Poe?" Leia asked. "Can you leave please?"

"Sure, sure," Poe said. "I'm going to go check on Finn. He should be in the bacta now."

And with that, Poe took his leave.

Leia looked at Padme now, a pleading yet hard look in her eyes. "Why? Why did you end up with… _him_?"

"Honestly, I don't really know," Padme said. " _Anakin_ was… troubled, oftentimes. Other times, though, he was actually pretty sweet.

"But… he had terrible nightmares, where he thought I was going to die. When I told him I was pregnant, he was over the moon with joy.

"After that… it all went to the Corellian hells. All nine of them."

"You could say that again," Leia said, sarcasm lacing her voice. "Watching over your shoulder for a monster like that… in your place, so would I."

Padme winced at Anakin being called a monster, and was about to reply when Leia sat ramrod straight in her seat, eyes glazed over.

"General?"

"I feel something," Leia said, her voice far, far away. "A presence I have not felt since…" And with that, Leia got up, removed the binders, and walked away, leaving Padme wondering what was going on. For all of a minute.

Padme took the opportunity to bolt. She'd developed a dislike for medcenters of any kind.

* * *

 _Oh, look,_ Anakin thought sarcastically. _I found a Rebel base_.

He supposed that he and his crew looked rather weird; an old man, a Wookie, a droid, an immortal, and a desert rat.

 _There's got to be a joke in there…._

Then Luke paused. "Leia's coming."

Anakin nodded. "Alright, Twerp, let's go to the infirmary."

Rey, who was still embarrassed from getting grilled about a boy by her father (a thought that made her quite giddy still- she'd found at least _one_ of her parents!), quickly followed.

 _Grandfather, I don't think we should be there when Father and Aunt Leia meet_.

 _Agreed._

Which was when Poe found them. Having checked up on Finn, Poe had gone to do some work on his X-Wing with BB-8. Upon arriving in the hangar, he caught sight of Rey and grinned, running up and giving the young woman a bone-crushing hug.

"Welcome back, Rey? How'd training go?"

 _SMACK!_

Anakin, Rey, and Poe turned to where they had left Luke. Leia had found him, it seemed.

"Come on," Poe said. "The general's got some rooms set up for you."

* * *

Luke had been alone when Leia stormed into the hangar. She stopped in front of her wayward brother.

"General."

"Master Jedi. May we talk somewhere private?"

"Sure."

"Follow me."

As they walked towards Leia's office, Luke could only think _I'm so screwed_. When they arrived, Leia closed the door and locked it.

SMACK!

For the third time that day, Luke had been viciously slapped.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"

Luke was silent for several moments.

"You _vanish_ for years, leaving me to face the _kriffing First Order_ alone, and work half to death for years trying to _find you_. You come _back, finally_ , and you bring _HIM_ with you!"

"Leia… I'm sorry. I just… I needed…." Luke sighed. "I couldn't look myself in the mirror after everything that happened. The galaxy needed a strong hero, and I just…. I couldn't be that hero; I'd lost too much.

"I'm sorry, Leia, for leaving you in the lurch. I'm here _now_ , though, because I can't let things fall apart anymore… and neither will _he_."

"And what, exactly, is _he_ planning?"

"I don't know. All he said was that he was going to set things right. What that means, I haven't a clue; _Anakin_ is rather… secretive about that."

"I'm warning you, if he goes Dark, I swear I'll blast his head off myself."

"Good luck with that, Leia. He's been _dead_ for decades. I mean that, too. _Anakin Skywalker was dead._ I saw him die."

"You mean, we now have an _immortal ex-Sith Lord_ on this base?"

"Yes. But, he's been rather helpful in training Rey."

"You _finally_ tell her?"

"I did. She slapped me."

 _Atta girl,_ thought Leia.

"Oh? And what exactly has he taught her?"

"He's focused more on the physical training. Exercise, combat forms, lightsaber forms. He doesn't call her Rey to her face, though."

"Oh?"

"He calls her Twerp. She can't _stand_ it."

Leia chuckled at that. "Well, while you've had quality father-son-daughter bonding time, I've had to deal with one of my officers being _our mother_."

Luke stopped. "Wait, what?"

"It's true."

"Well, then," Luke said, stroking his beard. "We have nothing to worry about in regards to Father."

"Why?"

"Because she's the one person I think Father will actually listen to."

* * *

Padme strode purposefully back to her quarters. She felt a lot better now that the shock of hearing her son's name had worn off. It was a wonder she didn't drop dead when Leia cornered her.

 _And to think, my little twins are all grown up. They're even older than me…._

 _Kriff you, Anakin._

Naturally, that was when she spotted _him_.

Had Padme not glanced down a side corridor, she would have missed spotting Anakin. As it stood, another officer was showing Anakin his quarters, and asked if there was anything else he needed.

"Well…" Anakin said. "Where would I go to find a new uniform? My current attire is fine, but I'm a little too… tall for it."

The officer chuckled. "The tailor's all the way across the base, by the mess hall."

"Thank you. I'll stop by there in the morning."

While the conversation went on, Padme was moving. This time, she was headed towards Anakin.

As Anakin stepped into his room, with Artoo close behind, Padme slid in before the door shut.

Anakin felt her slip in.

 _NO. Don't turn around, Skywalker, don't-_

"What are _you_ doing here?"

Anakin turned around, now. "I…."

SMACK!

Padme slapped him, hard. Then, she slapped him again. And again.

Then, she punched him.

Anakin was ready for her on the next swing, blocking it in his hand. _She punches just like Luke._ Padme went to punch with her other fist, but was blocked too. Anakin shifted slightly now, half-stepping forward, blocking his… sensitive areas… from an attempt by Padme to kick him.

Then, Padme convulsed, before collapsing to the ground. Artoo warbled, his electric prod already retracting into his frame.

" _Shavit_ , Artoo! Now what am I going to do?"

 _PUT HER TO BED. TUCK HER IN. HOPE SHE DOESN'T KILL YOU WHEN SHE WAKES UP._

"I guess. Although, can I even die now?"

 _LET'S NOT TEST THAT THEORY._

"Agreed. Oh, and I'm totally going to reprogram you to not shock Padme, okay?"

 _YOU CAN TRY._

 _Snarky little guy,_ Anakin mused.

And with that, Anakin did just as Artoo suggested.

"Well, sorry, Angel."


	9. Chapter 9- Bitter & Sweet

**A/N: Still don't own _Star Wars._ Review response time:**

 **pookieortega: Padme and Anakin separated on pretty much the worst of terms. Padme's still a little bitter about that.**

 **The Hope Lions: Episode III used to be my favorite of the saga. Then Episode VII came out.**

 **celticank: Family reunions are always interesting.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 9- Bitter & Sweet**

While Padme was busy slapping Anakin, and Leia was busy slapping Luke, Rey found herself in the Infirmary.

Anakin had taken one look at Finn, who was still in the bacta tank, said that the man would recover, and left with some officer to find quarters.

Rey, though, had stayed, and so had Poe.

"They tell me," the young pilot began, "that this bacta is a special kind, meant only for healing lightsaber injuries. Finn'll be as good as new in no time."

Rey nodded. "I hope so. Hey, Poe?"

"Yeah, Rey?"

"Did you know your parents?"

Poe nodded. "I did. My dad was a pilot for the Rebels. Was there when the second one blew up over Endor. My mom was one of the nurses. They met during the party on the moon, and, well… here I am. Why do you ask?"

"Because I finally found mine."

"You did? That's _great_! Where are they?"

Rey's face contorted then, into an awful expression, and Poe knew he had just crossed a line. "Aw, man, sorry, Rey, I didn't mean to…"

"It-It's okay," Rey said, trying hard to fight off a sob. "It's just that…. My mom is _gone_. She's dead, and my father is…. Is…. Luke."

Poe gaped. "Luke? Luke _Skywalker_? Force, Rey, I had no idea."

"Neither did I," Rey said.

"So… how did you react to the news? I'd be over the moons if I had discovered that."

"Well…." Rey's face turned sheepish. "I may or may not have…. slapped him."

Poe's jaw dropped. "Stang. I guess slapping runs in the family, huh?"

Rey chuckled. "I guess. He had it coming, though."

"Agreed."

Just then, Finn stirred from within the tank. His eyes opened, and while still groggy, he couldn't help the genuine smile from almost splitting his face at the sight of Rey.

So, he did what any normal person would do- and started waving.

"Hey," Poe said. "Finn's awake."

Poe and Rey moved closer to the tank. Since there wasn't any way to talk to Finn directly, Rey gave the ex-Stormtrooper a thumbs-up sign, her face set in an inquisitive manner, as if asking _Are you okay?_

Finn gave her the thumbs up in response, and although Rey couldn't see his mouth under the breathing equipment, she knew he was smiling wider.

Then, Finn put his left hand, palm flat, against the glass. Rey did the same with her right, just over Finn's.

At that moment, Poe knew that everything was going to be alright.

* * *

Padme didn't want to wake up. She really, really didn't; this bed was much more comfortable than the hospital cot.

Then she got a look at the person who was tinkering with Artoo- and she was instantly awake, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"If this is a dream, _Skywalker,_ I would like to wake up now."

Anakin flinched. _She's awake…. And she called me Skywalker. Well, two can play._

So, without looking over his shoulder, he spoke, closing up Artoo as he did. "I assure you, officer, that this is no dream. If it were, we would be on Naboo, with _our children_ running into the room waking us up.

"But, because of _me_ …. That dream is just that: a dream."

And with that, Anakin finally turned his head to look.

Padme looked almost exactly like she had the last time he had seen her, which made Anakin both happy and sad at the same time.

" _Why_ are you here?"

Anakin sighed. "Because of what I did, our grandson decided to follow in my footsteps. As a result, the Jedi Academy our son built was destroyed, our daughter-in-law is dead, our granddaughter hidden for her own safety, and our son-in-law was brutally murdered.

"Oh, and an entire star system or two is dead. So, yeah, I have some work to do."

"And this work…. How many people must die before you deem it finished?"

Anakin stopped for a moment. As much as he hated to admit it, he hadn't thought that far ahead. His "plan" consisted of three steps: stop Kylo Ren, kick the First Order's aft, and kill Supreme Leader Snoke. Everything else was (to Anakin) petty semantics.

So, after a long pause, Anakin spoke. "Just one- his master, _Supreme Leader_ Snoke."

"You don't sound impressed."

"Not a bit. Remember, I was a Sith for half my life. Anyone else claiming to wield the Dark Side is either just pretending so they can have cookies or they have no idea what they're in for. Trust me, I know."

Padme shivered at that, remembering Mustafar all too well.

Anakin continued. "If… you want to leave… you can. I… I didn't want to lose you, and so I made a _horrible_ mistake. I won't do it again."

Padme knew full well what Anakin meant by _leave_. "Oh, Anakin," she said, shaking her head. "I'm not going _anywhere_. I was always able to calm you down, remember? You need that voice of reason, Ani."

And with that, Padme got up and left- but not before giving Anakin a peck on the cheek, knowing full well that Anakin would fall over.

And sure enough, Anakin did.

* * *

Several hours later, Padme found herself at her spot.

The spot was an old tree on a hill at the edge of the Resistance base. Padme had come here whenever she needed to reflect on things. Not even Poe knew about it.

Padme knew that her relationship to Anakin was never going to go back to the way it had been. It was a small comfort that Anakin did, too.

But did she really want to go down that path? She had done it once- and that path had caused so much destruction and pain.

With a grunt of frustration, Padme realized that she was in a triangle. Anakin, while noticeably calmer, more focused, was still a dangerous man to be around.

Poe, by contrast, was a safe option. He was every inch the ace pilot everyone said he was, he knew it, but he was still… nice.

However, Padme didn't know if Poe had any dark secrets of his own- which made him dangerous, perhaps more so than Anakin.

 _How ironic… the "dangerous" one is safer, and the "safer" one is dangerous…_

"Mind if I join you?"

Padme looked up, jolted from her musing by none other than Leia herself.

"Having boy trouble?" Leia asked.

Padme sighed. "Yes. How did you know?"

Leia smirked, before frowning deeply. "Whenever I missed… Han… worse than usual, I came out here."

 _Ah._ "I wish I could have met him."

"You say that now, Mom, but trust me, you'd have wished you didn't. He was cocky, self-assured, stubborn, slobby, an all-around _scoundrel_ -" Leia was cut off by Padme suddenly laughing. "What?"

"That's….. that's…." Padme had to breathe for a minute to calm herself enough to form sentences. "That's how I would describe Anakin."

Leia raised an eyebrow. "Really? I was picturing a brooding monster in a mask."

"Oh, he did that too. The brooding, I mean."

"So…have you two… met yet?"

"Oh, we did. Did you finally meet Luke?"

Leia sighed. "Yes, Mother."

"And?"

"I slapped him. Twice. You?"

"I slapped him. Twice. Punched him. Once. Then Artoo got me."

Leia smiled happily. _Yep, she's definitely my mother._

"Wait…" said a new voice. "You _slapped_ Master Luke?"

Both women turned to see Rey standing there.

"Why yes, I did," Leia said, completely unapologetic. "And Padme here slapped Master Anakin around real good."

Rey shook her head. "Men," she muttered.

"I know, right?" Leia asked. "Get used to it, honey. How's Finn?"

"Healers say he should be out by the end of the week. I want to slap him, though, for trying to fend off Kylo Ren with that bloody saber."

"You should," Padme spoke up. "Us Skywalker gals have to keep the tradition going, after all."

The three women all laughed at that, and exchanged stories of their lives long after sunset.

* * *

Elsewhere, in a _very_ dark room, Kylo Ren bowed low, as Supreme Leader Snoke communed with the Dark Side.

After what felt like an eternity, Snoke's eyes opened, and he finally acknowledged the presence of his apprentice.

"Your training has progressed remarkably well."

"You laid the foundation, Master," Kylo Ren replied. "I am merely building upon it, with your guidance."

"And you have done well thus far. Have your injuries healed?"

"They have, Master. I'll still have scars from them, but they no longer bother me."

"Good. I need you at you best. I have a task for you."

"Yes, Master?"

"The First Order has been hiding since the destruction of Starkiller Base. It is time to come out of the shadows.

"Have General Hux address the galaxy. Have him tell them that the First Order gladly takes full responsibility for the destruction of the Hosnian system.

"In addition, there are a series of small planets in the Outer Rim, inconsequential to the Republic. Attack them."

"And what of the Resistance?"

"They will come."

"I understand, Master. If I may…. What am I to accomplish with these attacks?"

Snoke smiled. "War."


	10. Chapter 10- Dreams Become Reality Part 1

**A/N: Man- you thought high school finals were hard? College finals are _brutal_. **

**I don't own _Star Wars_. Now, in belated celebration of Star Wars Day, let me answer some reviews:**

 **The Hope Lions : I can't imagine Padme not with Anakin either, so I really didn't go anywhere with the Poe/Padme ship. (Now, Rey and Finn? I'm shipping those two right now.)**

 **Guest : Padme punched Anakin once. He had it coming.**

 **Phoenix Brooke** **:** **It would be wild if Johnson did decide to go for it, but I'm sure they won't because it means that Anakin's death in ROTJ has no meaning. But no, I don't think Rey will be recaptured. Abrams already recycled enough.**

 **RedxHandedxJill : A couple chapters to go.**

 **CharlotteCAgain : I don't think Anakin would be impressed with Snoke. Neither would Palpatine.**

 **Dark Lord of the X-Men : Snoke and Vader will clash eventually. Also, I tease something. **

**celticank : Another Skywalker Slap Fest, maybe? That's a long ways off.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 10- When Dreams Become Reality, Part 1- Takeoff**

Anakin Skywalker had a long, bad history with dreams. When he was young, he would lay awake at night, too afraid to fall asleep lest bandits, scumbags, or other slaves break in and steal their food.

On the nights he did sleep, he would have nightmares. In his nightmares, his mother would die, _he_ would die in a podrace, the list went on.

When he became a Jedi, the nightmares didn't go away- they just changed. They became visions of the future, horrible premonitions about a monster in black.

It was a nightmare that had caused Anakin to travel down the dark path that had caused all of this.

So, yeah, Anakin Skywalker hated dreams.

Except this one.

 _In this one, he was faced with a sea of Stormtroopers, led by a figure in black. Anakin punched said figure in black, sending them flying. Anakin then heard the snap-hiss of a lightsaber._

 _Anakin ignited his own saber, and charged at the figure in black…._

Then Anakin opened his eyes. He felt an odd tingling sensation in his lower leg, where Artoo was retracting his prod.

 _Aww, shavit,_ Anakin moaned. _I was just getting to the good part too._

"What is it, Artoo?" Anakin grumbled.

 _THREEPIO SENT A MESSAGE. LEIA WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU. IT'S URGENT._

Anakin blanched. "How long was I out?"

 _ABOUT TWELVE STANDARD HOURS. I JUST GOT THE MESSAGE._

 _Oh, kriff._

* * *

The _Finalizer,_ Kylo Ren mused, was an awesome vessel. The thing was large enough to carry an army all on its own and land it on any planet.

Such as Tatooine. Kylo Ren was well aware of his family's connection to the harsh desert world.

 _I don't think the galaxy will mind if I annihilate a planet of desert, scoundrels, Hutts, and moisture farmers, would it?_

Indeed, Kylo Ren may have been right- for at that moment, Hux was busy giving the galaxy his address.

"…..the First Order _proudly_ takes responsibility for the construction of the weapon called Starkiller Base…. The destruction of the Hosnian System….

"The First Order _happily_ declares _WAR_ on the NEW REPUBLIC, and its _corrupt_ Senate! Even now, our finest vessel, the _Finalizer_ , charges through hyperspace! It could show itself _anywhere,_ at any _time_ , and annihilate _any_ planet!"

Kylo Ren really didn't care about any of that. What mattered, right then, was that the targeting systems for the ventral cannons and the nuclear warheads were in perfect condition.

Kylo turned to a lieutenant on the bridge. "Are all weapons systems online?"

The lieutenant crisply replied. "Yes, sir. Fire when ready?"

Kylo nodded. "Fire."

* * *

The Hutt Palace was the first to go, a blast from the ventral cannons (which ran on Kyber crystals- crystals with a unique connection to the Force) utterly annihilating it.

Experimental nuclear warheads fell from orbit, destroying Mos Eisley, Mos Espa, Anchorhead, and all the other settlements on Tatooine.

Meanwhile, in another part of the galaxy, Hux finished addressing the galaxy, a smile on his face not unlike that of a child who had just gotten a new toy.

"Starting with Tatooine."

* * *

On D'Qar, Leia was in the middle of a war council when their screens went blank, before Hux's image appeared, giving his sinister speech.

Poe leaned in to whisper to Leia, "How many beings do you think are watching this right now?"

Leia watched, stunned. Then Hux got to the part about Tatooine.

 _Oh, kriff._

"Threepio- send a message to Artoo…"

* * *

Anakin dressed quickly, the new all-black Jedi attire (with matching combat armor) that he'd acquired fitting him well. Anakin stopped to check a mirror, noting that he needed a haircut.

Anakin stormed through the base, keeping a feeler on Leia's presence in the Force and using it to navigate. His brisk walk carried him to his destination faster than he would have liked.

Leia was much older than last time, and while there was much sadness in her face, Anakin could see the fire burning within.

 _Yep, she's definitely my daughter_.

"General Organa? You wanted to speak to me?"

"Yes… Jedi Skywalker," Leia said. "Care to step into my office?"

Anakin gulped. "Yes, General."

Poe watched with keen interest. _This ought to be good._

Once the door shut, Leia spoke first.

"Let's make one thing clear- _you were never my father."_

"I understand," Anakin said, "but I respectfully disagree." Before Leia could interrupt, Anakin continued. "I did not have a proper father figure in my life growing up, but I assume I always had a father. A _dad,_ on the other hand, is completely different. In that regard, you lucked out- you got a dad.

"Don't call me Dad, Leia. I never was one. Now, what do you need from me?"

Leia's face fell, in a manner that reminded Anakin entirely too much of when Obi-Wan asked Anakin to do something he knew he wouldn't like.

"What is your plan regarding my so- Kylo Ren?"

"Stop him. Stop Snoke. Why?"

"When were you planning to start?"

Anakin was puzzled. "When Rey gets to a place in her training where Luke and I both feel comfortable that she can go onto an active battlefield and not get herself killed. Why?"

"You'll have to move up your timetable. General Hux addressed the galaxy. The First Order has attacked Tatooine."

The sharp inhale Anakin took sounded too much like Vader's mask for Leia's comfort, and when Anakin recovered enough to speak again, he sounded… small?

"What happened?"

"If Hux is to be believed, then Tatooine's largest settlements were just hit with at least one nuclear device. Other places were hit by Kyber crystal-powered weapons from the _Finalizer_."

Anakin stumbled into a chair. _No…._

"Anakin?"

"They- they actually did it."

"Did what?"

"During the Empire, some of the top weaponeers decided to build an explosive device that could level a city… and leave it uninhabitable for _generations_. The project never got off the ground because of all the effort put into the Death Star.

"Leia…. the First Order… I think they found the files related to that program. If they did, we're probably screwed."

"How so?"

"Think about it. They know where you live. They just don't have another Starkiller Base or Death Star to send here, so they haven't gotten to you yet. So, instead of going to you, they're calling you out, trying to get you to go to them, where they can easily drop one of these…. nukes…. on you and your army and be done with you."

"What do we do?"

"Assemble a team. Poe stays here, you'll need a good pilot. Luke, Chewbacca, Rey, and Officer Naberrie go with me. We'll go, get onboard their ship, and try to destroy the weapons."

"And what of the people onboard? What of them?"

Anakin frowned. "Leia… this is war. People die. As a Jedi, I hated it, but as a former Sith, it's just one of those things I had to deal with."

"But… what you're contemplating…. that's my _family_ you're taking with you!"

"I know. But I trust no one else."

"And me? What about me?"

Anakin grinned. "Someone has to keep these troops in line, and if I did it, I'd be choking people, and you wouldn't want that."

"So, instead, you'll just be choking Stormtroopers?"

"Yes. To do that, I'll need Finn. He knows what it's like to be a Stormtrooper."

"He fought in one battle."

Anakin shrugged. "Better than nothing. When does he get out of the tank?"

"Tomorrow. He's healed remarkably quickly, faster than the healers anticipated."

"Hmmm…. I wonder if he is slightly Force-sensitive. Perhaps not Jedi material, but Padme was- is- much the same."

"If you're sure, Anakin, then I'll see that he is released tomorrow. What ship will you be taking?"

Anakin grinned. "Why, the _Millennium Falcon_ , of course. It's a well-built piece of junk."

"Alright. I'll transfer Finn to your care."

"Thank you, General. I'll make sure that his healing progresses from there. The Light Side is home to many abilities that can heal wounds. Between three Skywalkers, I'm sure Finn will be combat-ready in no time."

"I hope so. Dismissed."

* * *

Two days later, the _Falcon_ was being prepped for takeoff. Anakin and Artoo had been working around the clock to repair what they could on the old freighter- and upgrading what they could. As some finishing touches, Anakin spray-painted some TIE fighters, Vader's helmet, and the Death Star II on the hull.

Rey watched him do this. "And why are we painting old ships on the hull of an old ship?"

Anakin smiled. "Old tradition- pilots would paint symbols, usually skulls, on the hulls of their planes. The _Falcon_ needs some paint, but we haven't got time, so I'm improvising."

Just then, the rest of the Skywalker clan, plus Chewie, Poe, and Finn (who was confined to bedrest, and thus being moved via stretcher, but somehow safe to travel) arrived, bags packed for most of them.

Anakin addressed Poe. "You know, in my day, I was a pretty good pilot myself."

Poe grinned, knowing the inevitable challenge was coming, but not about to back down. "Oh, really?"

Anakin _smiled_ now, and Padme, who was standing next to Leia, facepalmed. Leia was concerned.

"What's wrong, Mother?"

"Watch."

Anakin was still talking to Poe. "Oh yes. I was winning podraces at the age of nine. When we get back, _pretty boy_ , I challenge you to a kill count showdown. Droids keep score."

"You're so on, _old timer_."

"OHHHHHHHHH….." hollered pretty much everyone within earshot (even Finn).

"I see," Leia murmured. "He's _definitely_ a scoundrel."

And with that, everyone who was going on the mission climbed aboard. Rey was about to take the pilot's seat, when Anakin cleared his throat.

"Excuse me?" Rey asked. "I've flown this ship before!"

"Yes, I bet you have," Anakin replied, "but you got lucky once. True piloting requires actual skill as well. Luckily, _I have that_. Move."

Rey harrumphed as Anakin contentedly sat in the pilot's chair, Chewbacca in his rightful spot in the copilot's seat.

"Chewbacca…. Plot a course for Tatooine."


	11. Chapter 11- Dreams Become Reality Part 2

**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars._ This chapter is going to be a longer one, though.**

 **ILDV: I ship Finn and Rey until I get information stating otherwise.**

 **the DragonBard: Nuclear weapons, to my knowledge, have never appeared in _Star Wars_ fiction. The closest was that tactical nuke/EMP that started the Zillo Beast arc in _The Clone Wars_.**

 **The Hope Lions: I know, right?**

 **Dark Lord of the X-Men: Here it is, in honor of the summer vacation I will never have, because summer classes.**

 **celticank: I do hope that Episode VIII at least gives us some more clues, about Snoke, Maz Kanata, and Rey (particularly those first two; Rey's pretty much figured out in my head).**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 11- When Dreams Become Reality Part 2- With One Hand, I Heal**

 _I see why Solo loved this ship,_ Anakin mused. _I like it too._

He, along with the rest of the Skywalker clan (sans Leia), were on what could be a suicide mission: board the _Finalizer_ , find its nuclear arsenal (because it had demonstrated that it indeed had one), neutralize it, and, if Kylo Ren were to be…. _Removed_ from the equation, there would be no complaints.

That last one suited Anakin just fine. In effect, Leia had just handed him a golden opportunity to complete his objective. He would make sure to land a few good hits in for Leia.

But, there was one pressing matter to attend to. One of their number, a young ex-Stormtrooper named Finn, was still recovering from getting sliced up by said Kylo Ren. Anakin knew some old Jedi healing techniques that could come in handy.

Plus, Rey needed to be put to the test. There was more to being a Jedi than just swinging around a glowing wand of death and tricking Stormtroopers into letting you go. There had to be an inner peace, a _balance_ \- something Anakin had never truly gained, ironically, until he became a Sith.

And what better test than Finn? If done right, the Finn would be up and walking and wooing Rey in no time. If done wrong, then nothing would change, really.

Plus, Anakin really wanted to see how much Luke had learned, too.

So, after handing over the cockpit to Chewbacca and Padme, Anakin went into the living space to gather Luke and Rey. Conveniently enough, they were already with Finn.

Luke was grilling Finn about something, and judging by the embarrassed looks on Rey and Finn's faces, Anakin knew what it was about.

"Son, it's nice to see you all overprotective, but it's time."

Luke looked to Anakin, and nodded, while Rey asked, "Time for what?"

"Your first big test, Twerp. The Force is a powerful thing, capable of virtually anything. The Light, in particular, is the side of serenity…. and _healing_.

"We're going to finish what the bacta started. Twerp, gather up some cushions and pillows; Finn needs to be comfortable while we do this."

Rey left, and returned minutes later, arms filled with anything soft she could find. Anakin smiled. "Excellent. Luke, help me move him?"

Luke and Anakin ended up using the Force to move Finn, deciding it the best way to keep him steady. Once Finn was comfortable, Luke spoke to him.

"Now, we're going to knock you out for a while, alright? This way, you won't feel much pain."

" _Much_ pain?" Rey asked.

Anakin shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. I've only ever seen it done once."

" _Once?_ "

"Yeah- but the poor guy had had a rocket blow up almost in his face. Took me, my Master, and my Padawan _hours_ to even stabilize his condition like this- and we were working together on it in the middle of an active battlefield. The bacta already did most of the work for Finn; the hard part will be making sure Finn is absolutely 100% healed. Hence, the three of us."

* * *

The trio ended up sitting in a triangle shape with Finn lying unconscious in the middle. As one, three generations of Skywalkers closed their eyes and entered the Force together.

 _Ah,_ Anakin mused. _A strong bond exists between you and Finn, Twerp. Excellent. This will make things easier._

Luke turned his attention to the spine. The bacta had healed most of the damage, but several burns could still be seen.

A wave of Luke's spectral hand removed the burned areas (of which there were many, but not as deep or as bad as they once were), and Rey moved to regenerate what was missing. Anakin's spectral form grabbed her, stopping her.

 _This is a very dangerous procedure,_ Anakin warned. _Only the most skilled, and most powerful, should attempt this. I will do this. Go into Finn's mind, and look for signs of First Order conditioning, and remove it._

 _What am I looking for?_

 _Anything that looks_ _ **too**_ _organized, too clean, too contradictory to what you know of Finn. He seems to be an energetic sort with a strong sense of morals and purpose. Anything contradictory to that must go._

 _Yes, Master._

Anakin then turned his attention to Finn's spine. Segment by segment, Finn's spine was slowly put back together, Anakin working from the top down, Luke from the bottom up.

Soon enough, they finished. They made to withdraw from the Force, and return to the physical plane, but Anakin felt something.

 _I sense something. A… presence. A presence I have not felt since…_

 _I sense it too,_ Luke affirmed. _Shall I go with you?_

 _No,_ Anakin answered. _I know him. I…. need to speak with him._

 _Okay. See you on the other side._

 _Ha._

Anakin then turned to face this new presence.

 _Obi-Wan…. It's been a while._

* * *

Luke and Rey opened their eyes to the familiar setting of the living space of the _Falcon._ Finn was stirring, now.

"Finn?" Rey asked. "How are you?"

"I…." Finn started, before wiggling his toes- and realizing that he could _feel his toes_. "I'm great, Rey."

"Do you need help getting up?"

"I do." Finn looked over to where Anakin still sat in his meditative pose. "What's with him?"

"He sensed something," Luke said. "He'll rejoin us soon enough."

* * *

Anakin's spectral form stood before Obi-Wan's- and Anakin, though he stood several inches taller than the late Master, still felt like a nine-year-old that was about to be reprimanded for getting into yet another scrap with Ferus Olin.

 _Anakin,_ Obi-Wan spoke, shaking his head, _still always on the move, I see._

 _I am, Master,_ Anakin answered. _I'm sorry, but I let this go on too long. I must set things right._

 _But at what cost, Anakin? How many people must die? How many lives destroyed?_

 _Padme said much the same. I only plan on one- Snoke. Everything else, I'll just have to "wing it", as they say._

Obi-Wan chuckled. _You always operated in the moment, young one. I just wanted to be sure you knew what you were doing._

 _I do, Master. I'm sorry about what happened._

 _I must apologize, too, for mutilating you and leaving you to burn._

 _And?_

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. _And for lying to Luke about you._

 _I understand why you did it, but you could have done better._

 _That is true._ Obi-Wan paused, running out of things to say. _May the Force be with you, Anakin._

 _I'd say the same to you, but you're one with it already._

 _That I am. Tell Luke I said hello, and that Mara Jade wants to speak to him._

Anakin chuckled, now. _I will._

And Anakin woke up.

* * *

Hours later, the _Falcon_ arrived over Tatooine.

Anakin was back in the pilot's seat, Padme and Finn (who had hauled himself into the top seat, deciding it to be easier than going down), taking up the guns just in case.

"Why are we here, Anakin?" Rey asked.

"Scanners aren't picking up the _Finalizer_ , but they are picking up trace hyperdrive residue here," Anakin pointed to a screen, "over where Mos Espa _used_ to be."

Luke studied the screen. "It looks like a comet."

Anakin grinned. "Indeed it does, son. That elongated part points in the direction the _Finalizer_ blasted off in."

"But," Rey chimed in, "wouldn't planetary rotation drag the cloud with it?"

"Not necessarily," Anakin said, "but you do make a good point. It is never recommended to go to hyperspace while in a planet's gravity well; too much strain on the hyperdrive. The cloud looks fresh, so, if we angle ourselves correctly… _Oh Force…."_

"What?" Luke asked. "What is it?"

Anakin frantically called up the star charts. "Oh, no. I… I know where they're going next…. Naboo."

Anakin then spoke over the comms. "Everyone strapped in? We're going to jump again in a moment. Chewbacca, set course for Naboo. How fast is the _Falcon_?"

"It makes point five past lightspeed," Luke chimed in.

Anakin nodded. "Good. A ship the size of the _Finalizer_ can only go point three if the weapons and shielding are stripped away. We may yet catch it."

"Then what?"

Chewbacca hummed, noting that the coordinates were locked in. Anakin smirked, speaking as he threw the lever to make the jump.

"We'll board the _Finalizer_ in hyperspace."

" _WHAT?!"_ Padme's voice screamed over the comm.

"You heard me, Padme. We'll board in hyperspace. Finn and Chewbacca will stay on the ship to keep the engines warm. Everyone else boards."

"Are you insane?" Rey asked.

Anakin smiled. "I might be. Was Captain Solo crazy?"

"Yep," Luke piped up.

"Then yes, Twerp, I am certifiably insane. How do you think I wooed your grandmother, who was a Senator at the time?"

" _To be fair,_ " Padme butted in, " _I thought we were all going to die._ "

"So did I, Padme. But we didn't, and here we are. Artoo, can we catch the _Finalizer_ at present speed?"

 _WE CAN. IT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN HOURS, THIRTEEN MINUTES TO REACH NABOO, NOT COUNTING THE HEAD START THEY HAVE. I ESTIMATE ABOUT THIRTEEN HOURS, SEVEN MINUTES._

"Not even two hours? That's not a lot of time."

"Then we make it count," Anakin said. "Everyone get some rest. Finn?"

"Yessir?"

"Try to exercise your legs as much as possible. Move them as often as you can- your muscles are in a state of disuse."

"Yessir."

And with that, everyone decided to find a nice, quiet corner.

* * *

Hours later, Anakin stirred from a nice, long sleep wherein he dreamt once more of punching his errant grandson. He looked out the window- and immediately spotted the looming shape.

The _Falcon_ had finally caught up to the _Finalizer_. Chewbacca had plotted the jump spectacularly well; the tiny freighter was directly underneath the hull of the Star Destroyer.

Chewbacca, who was now awake, hummed lowly, pointing a massive, furry finger towards the ship. Anakin followed the finger, and spotted what appeared to be an access port.

 _Perfect_.

Ever so carefully, Anakin started the docking procedures. The display on the console lit up, showing the alignment of the port on the _Falcon_ to the one on the _Finalizer_.

 _THUD._

 _The Hero With No Sanity does it again,_ Anakin mused.

To his relief, Luke, Rey, and Padme were already there, divvying up the _Falcon_ 's immense weapons stash among them.

"We saved you a couple blasters, Ani," Padme said.

"Thanks," Anakin said, strapping two pistols to his belt. "How long have you been awake?" he asked.

"An hour at most," Rey answered. "You looked so _peaceful_ sleeping, though, we just couldn't _bear_ the thought of waking you," she continued sardonically.

"Thanks, Twerp. For that, you get to go with Padme. Try to disable the hyperdrive. I am going to take the bridge, and Luke will travel with you to find the nukes. Try to fire them if you can. Chewbacca- keep the engines warm. Finn's still at the guns, right?"

"YEP!" Finn hollered.

"Well, good. May the Force be with you, Luke."

"And with you, Father."

With that, the foursome climbed through the hatch- and on to the _Finalizer_.

Anakin and Luke both found, to their immense relief, that the layout of the ship was more or less the same. What differed was their approach to clearing it.

Luke snuck around, using the Force to mind-trick approaching troopers, as Rey covered Luke's back. Strangely, there weren't many troopers around.

Then, the sirens blared. Luke facepalmed.

Rey looked to Luke. "Anakin?"

Luke nodded. "Anakin."

* * *

In another part of the ship, Anakin was far less subtle. The second he turned a corner, a couple troopers had spotted him. Anakin had put a bolt right between their eyes for their trouble.

Then a third trooper had pushed a big red button- and the alarms went off. Anakin got him shortly thereafter.

 _Come get me, Benny._

* * *

Today was Brooding Day, so Kylo Ren was brooding.

See, his calendar was not like normal calendars, which had days like Sunday and Friday. No, Kylo had Pray to Vader Day, Physical Training Day, Freak-Out Day, Fear Snoke Day, and Brooding Day, followed by Be Mad At Everyone Day.

Today was Brooding Day. Then, he got a message:

 _Come get me, Benny._

And suddenly, it was Pray to Vader Day (as in _please don't kill me_ ), mixed with Freak-Out Day. So, Kylo turned on his overly impressive saber on the bridge, before turning to Lieutenant Ha'a Pless.

"Lieutenant, you have the bridge. Skywalker is here. Order all troopers to quarters. I will see to him myself."

"Y-Yes, Lord Ren."

Kylo didn't even wait for the doors to open, instead slashing them with the crimson blade.

 _I'll meet him at the Central Corridor._

* * *

Luke and Rey's mission went shockingly easy. The engines had been the first to go, pulling the _Finalizer_ out of hyperspace in between the two systems.

On the ship, however, Luke and Rey ran through the ship, racing to catch up to Anakin before he did something monumentally stupid, because he would.

But they forgot something- stupidity was a trait common on both sides of Luke's family tree.

* * *

Padme managed to move the nukes to a special airlock that was to be used in the event of an emergency (because having nukes onboard a ship engulfed in flames was the height of stupidity), where they had been safely ejected from the ship, before all-out running to find Anakin.

She had a bad feeling about this. Some idiot Stormtrooper tried to stop her- he ended up dead, and Padme confiscated his big, electrified staff. She paused briefly to take his number.

 _Huh. T8-8R._

In the end, it was Padme who reached the Central Corridor first. There was only one other person in the hall- a figure clad all in black, with a big scary red lightsaber.

So, Padme came up with the most badass greeting she could think of. She picked up her blasters, and began shooting at the guy.

"Hi, grandson!" she said in her most cheerful voice, before switching to the staff and charging forward.

* * *

Luke and Rey managed to get there just in time to see the two collide, Kylo Ren on the backstep from the sheer force of the impact. Luke and Rey hurried to join in, but then ray shields activated, keeping them from moving to help

That was the moment that the hair on the back of Rey's neck stood up straight. She'd seen this sort of moment before- when Han Solo had- had- _Oh Force, NO!_

"Dad?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Luke nodded. "I do, too."

Then, the unthinkable happened.

First off, Anakin arrived in the corridor, finally, to see his (ex?) wife dueling Kylo Ren, and dueling _ferociously_. There wasn't much style, grace, or fancy moves to Padme's repertoire- just swinging her big stick at a big red lightsaber.

She was actually doing pretty well- then Kylo Ren shoved Padme away, before raising his arm in a move Anakin knew all too well-

And once more, Padme was forced to claw at invisible fingers to try to breathe. Anakin moved to try to breach the ray shield-

and that was when Kylo's blade appeared at the middle of Padme's back.

It took a second for Anakin to process what had happened.

The _thud_ of Padme hitting the deck was the only sound Anakin heard. He later found out that Rey had screamed (and so had Luke), but Anakin couldn't hear it.

All Anakin could _see_ , however, was the _red_. The red and the black. Anakin had the decency to send a quick message to Kylo before the idiot dropped the ray shield blocking Anakin.

 _Kylo Ren… I don't care who you are…_ _ **I'M GOING TO KILL YOU.**_

* * *

 **Yes, I did end it here. Enjoy!**


	12. Chapter 12- Dreams Become Reality Part 3

**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars_. As the last chapter was a bit long, this one is a bit short.**

 **Dark Lord of the X-Men: Your review didn't post, but luckily, email had it, so I still got to read it. Did Leia ask for his _survival_ , though?**

 **ShyMaryButterfly: Define "dead".**

 **multyfangirl18: I don't think Kylo Ren heard the full story. I'm not entirely sure _Luke_ knows the full story after all this time. Hopefully, Episode VIII clears it up.**

 **The Hope Lions: Yes.**

 **J. Hellscythe: It is. I feel like Kylo Ren is every Star Wars fan's worst nightmare: a Darth Vader worshipper who also happens to have the Force. (By the way, your wish is granted).**

 **celticank: He was? I didn't see that. (Then again, I tend to miss a lot of things, so...)**

 **Guest: TR-8R is the fan name for FN-2199, that one stormtrooper that challenged Finn on Takodana.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 12- When Dreams Become Reality Part 3: With One Hand, I Hurt**

Anakin Skywalker was mad.

Actually, strike that- he wasn't _mad._ No, he was…. There was no words to describe his current emotional state.

He'd just gotten Padme back- and now some monster that was pretending to be his grandson had just _impaled_ her right in front of him.

Anakin suddenly knew how Obi-Wan must have felt when Qui-Gon died.

As Padme hit the deck of the _Finalizer_ with a _thud,_ Kylo Ren made one massive error:

He taunted Anakin. First by giving Anakin two middle fingers, then by clapping.

Anakin never saw it, though. Luke and Rey, from their unfortunate position, could.

Then, Kylo did something _monumentally_ stupid.

With a wave of his hand, he shut off the ray shield protecting him from his grandfather.

* * *

Luke would later say that he knew that Anakin and Kylo Ren would meet someday, and that when they did, only one would walk away.

Luke knew which one it would be. And lo and behold, he was right.

Between Luke and Rey and Anakin and Kylo was a lab with clear windows all around. Why there was a room with all windows on a battle cruiser this size was beyond Luke, but he didn't press the issue- especially since the windows afforded Luke and Rey a good view of the "fight."

Anakin, being Anakin, struck first. Before the ray shield had even cleared fully, Anakin had launched himself forward at inhuman speed, catching Kylo Ren with a nasty uppercut that shattered the stupid helmet he wore. The helmet broke in twain along a seam that ran sideways across it, sending the back half falling to the ground and the front half flying off in chunks. The Darkside wannabe stumbled back, having not expected the hit to come that fast.

Kylo called for his lightsaber, which he had lost his grip on from Anakin's punch. However, the resurrected ex-Sith lord caught the saber in midair, business end pointing towards its owner.

"I warned you, Ben Solo," Anakin snarled, his voice dropping to a deadly octave. "I pleaded with you not to become another _me._

"I sense the fear within you, _boy_. You fear Snoke more than you worship me.

"You were _wrong_. You should fear _me._ You prayed to me, asking me to show you the Darkness."

Anakin _smiled_ now, his eyes blazing, half sky blue, half sulfuric yellow, as he clipped Ren's lightsaber to his belt.

If the mental message of _**I WILL KILL YOU**_ and the past few minutes hadn't made it clear, Kylo Ren now knew he was screwed by Anakin's next words.

" _It's_ _ **SHOWTIME**_ _, punk!"_

And Anakin _pummeled_ Kylo Ren. Anakin's hits were amplified using the Force, coming twice as fast and hitting twice as hard. Kylo tried to block once with his forearm, but the hit smashed most of the bones in that arm, causing Kylo much pain.

Anakin kept hitting, though, not wanting to give Kylo a chance to recover and use the Dark Side to power himself up.

So, Anakin viciously kicked Kylo Ren right in the knee, breaking it to pieces and sending the punk to the floor.

Then Anakin's boot came down, hitting right below the belt, before Anakin grabbed Kylo by the collar, and bodily threw him down the corridor. As Kylo Ren attempted to recover, Anakin stretched out his left arm- and _lightning_ shot forth, catching Kylo and shoving him into the wall at one end.

This went on for a few seconds before Anakin decided to relent. See, he was having a bit of a quandary. Part of him wanted to Force choke the little brat (Anakin could do it too; with his body now in its prime for all eternity, Anakin felt like he could do anything he wanted), or pull Kylo to him and physically choke him out.

This quandary lasted for a few seconds, before Anakin decided. _Force choke it is._

So, Anakin raised his other arm, and made to choke- before something collided with him, knocking him to the floor.

* * *

Luke and Rey had not moved, frozen to their spot, watching Anakin beat Kylo Ren senseless with ease.

 _Oh Force…_ Rey was taken aback. She had kind of looked up to Darth Vader a little as a child, hearing the tales of the Sith's brutality passed down from the elders at Niima Outpost. To _see_ it, however, made the poor kid seriously re-evaluate her priorities.

Then, the unthinkable happened.

A hand appeared, seeking purchase on the glass wall on the other side of the corridor. The hand was attached to an arm, which was attached to a person-

Padme.

The ex-Senator was still in excruciating pain, but she had somehow gotten to her feet, one hand covering the hole in her torso where a big red saber had punched through. The look on her face was one Rey would never forget- part determination, part sorrow.

She could see the savage beating Anakin was dishing out. She could hear Kylo's screams, hear the sounds of bones breaking.

And Padme was moving. It was difficult, taking immense effort, but Padme had never been one that would stay down if she could help it. (That one time on Polis Massa did not count; Padme had been caught unawares, and had fought hard to stay alive, but the pull of the Emperor was too strong.)

And just when Padme looked like she would collapse, she flung herself forward.

* * *

Anakin was stunned for a moment.

 _Who_ _ **dares-**_

 _Oh,_ _ **Force!**_

Padme had rolled off of Anakin by now, laying on the floor by him, breathing heavily. Anakin snapped out of his Dark funk and almost panicked.

"Padme?"

"Ani… stop…."

"He…. He hurt _so many_ , Padme…"

"I…" Padme coughed. "I _know_. So… did…. _You_ ," she wheezed.

"You need help, Padme," Anakin said, somehow keeping his voice steady despite the growing panic (and the tears that _he would not cry- not now_ ), and gingerly lifted Padme from the floor, anxious to get off this ship and _get help_.

A slight mental nudge from Anakin released all the ray shields, allowing Luke and Rey to cross. Rey turned to where Kylo Ren lay, unconscious and bleeding at the end of the corridor.

Feeling an unnatural surge of… something _not_ malicious for the man who was her cousin, Rey sprinted over, and picked up Kylo, slinging an arm over her shoulder to keep him up. Luke rushed over to help her.

And with that, they raced back to the _Falcon_ , departing just as soon as the hatches were closed, before going to hyperspace for a brief jump to Naboo.

The entire way, Anakin stayed by Padme's side in the medical bay, willing her to hold on a little longer- and bitterly reflecting over his actions.

* * *

Naboo, Luke thought, was a pretty world, not unlike Yavin IV. At least, that was all he could see from space.

Then, the engines and power cut out. As in, no joy, no juice, nada, zilch, zip.

 _Oh kriff._

Chewie growled in panic, taking the stick as the _Falcon_ began to move closer towards the looming planet. Luke and Rey buckled up. In another part of the ship, Finn did too.

Kylo Ren was safely chained down in the cargo hold, his injuries, though severe, not nearly as bad as Padme's. Padme had somehow survived being impaled by a lightsaber, but was by no means out of the woods.

Anakin, who saw the lights go out, instinctively crawled onto Padme's cot, wrapping her up in him- just in case. Hopefully, someone would find her still alive and nurse her back to health.

The _Falcon_ hit with a massive _THUD._


	13. Chapter 13-Old Friends, Old Places

**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars,_ but I am BACK, my loyal readers! I've been a little busy, but that's real life. Anyway...**

 **Denz-El: Not quite, but since you brought it up I can't _not_ think of it that way. On a side note, Rey may be feeling a little malice, but having just found out that Kylo Ren is her cousin a few days before, I'm inclined to think that she is still trying to process it all.**

 **J. Hellscythe: Bane would have beaten them _both_ up, then moved on to Snoke.**

 **HannahKathleen: OH YES.**

 **The Hope Lions: ...it was brutal, yes. Anakin tends to lash out when his family is threatened.**

 **Dark Lord of the X-Men: Yep. Padme is a fighter. Did you _really_ think she would just roll over and die?**

 **multyfangirl18: No, he has not. Not yet, anyway. That's going to be part of my redemption arc for him.**

 **Feanariel: Yep. She won't die. She _can't_ die- and neither can Anakin. This does not mean that they cannot feel pain.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 13- Old Friends In Old Places**

Snoke was _not_ panicking. He wasn't. He was just very, _very_ concerned.

For one, the… _demonstration_ on Naboo was supposed to have happened by now. Not only that, but Kylo Ren was supposed to have reported in by now, telling him that the event was successful.

Now, though, the bond between Snoke and Ren was… dormant. Not broken, just… dormant.

 _He must have been captured_ , Snoke mused. _Pity._

Then, there was the strange rumbling through the Force he had felt weeks ago. Ren had felt it, as well, but had no idea what it was. The old crow suspected that the Force was conspiring against him.

Through all of this, Snoke was surprisingly calm. Sure, he was… uneasy, but he was nothing if not… prepared for something like this. Sure, his plan to make Kylo Ren an unstoppable force of nature- wielding both sides of the Force (primarily the Dark, because the Darkness was much more _fun_ ) was now impossible, but Snoke had thought about that.

Basic strategy 101: Always keep your most powerful weapon in reserve until the proper moment.

 _Well, this is the proper moment_.

So, Snoke called upon his trump card. Searching through the Force, he located his oldest ally, from an era long past, frozen in time.

 _Reaver…_ _ **Awaken**_.

* * *

The _Falcon_ , for its… age… had held surprisingly well.

The old freighter had smacked down outside Theed, the city that had once been the sprawling capital of one of the Old Republic's greatest jewels.

Now, though, it was little more than a ghost town. Where thousands once lived, there were but a few hundred. It had become one of those sleepy little towns where nothing ever happened outside of the latest gossip.

Chewbacca had managed to manually steer the _Falcon_ into a crash landing. Much of the hull needed to be replaced, but other than a _lot_ of jostling, everyone was a-OK.

Anakin was one of the first to peek his head up- and almost bumped his head against the cabinet above the cot. _We're alive… Yay?_

Coughing from a point below him drew Anakin to Padme- who did NOT look good. Sure, she had proven herself to be immortal now (which Anakin thought ironic; the whole reason he had become Vader was to do just that), but one does not simply get impaled by a huge lightsaber and be _fine_.

This was real life, after all- not some fan's twisted idea of life in the galaxy.

Anyway, Anakin carefully scooped Padme up in his arms, and ever so slowly made his way out of the _Falcon_. On the way, he managed to get a glimpse of Kylo Ren, chained up still.

The kid looked worse than Padme- and Anakin took pride in that fact.

Since Anakin was always the first one to, well, _anything_ , he and Padme were the first ones to get out of the ship, where several people were already visible, sprinting towards the couple.

Anakin was okay, but he was sure a couple ribs were at least bruised. It was no matter- he'd suffered worse, and right now, Padme was in much worse condition than he.

As the first of the villagers reached them, Anakin panted, "Take her… she's in bad shape."

The villager, an old man who Anakin hoped was a healer, asked simply, "What happened?"

"She was… impaled. We were on a mission, and were attacked." Anakin hated lying, but he'd gotten entirely too good at it a long time ago.

"Oh, dear," the man said. "I'm no healer, but I do know one."

A speeder arrived, and Anakin was relieved to see the markings that labeled it as an ambulance. "Take this one to 'Soka, quickly!"

 _Wait…. 'Soka?'_ "Hold on a second!" Anakin called out, before climbing back into the wreckage. He emerged a minute later with Kylo Ren slung over him. "He is… also badly injured."

"What happened here?" the man from earlier asked.

Anakin shrugged. "He attacked us. I… made sure he… immediately regretted that decision."

The man nodded. "I see."

And that was when 'Soka arrived.

* * *

Ahsoka Tano had learned to take comfort in normality.

Ever since the fall of Luke's Academy, Ahsoka had hid out on Naboo. The planet had never been able to shake its connection to the Emperor, and so it had been left by the wayside, the occasional ship stopping just long enough to fuel up, make any needed repairs, and leave.

Rarely had a ship fallen out of the sky and stayed intact (mostly) on impact. Sure, it would need to be _severely_ overhauled, but that was easy enough to fix.

What concerned Ahsoka when she arrived were the passengers. She may have been in her seventies, but Force-sensitivity allowed one to remain in relatively good shape well into their supposed old age. She had about stopped dead in her tracks, however, upon seeing _kriffing_ _ **SKYGUY**_ there, holding a woman in his arms.

The last she had seen of Vader, they'd dueled at a collapsing Sith Temple. How in the _kriffing Galaxy_ had he gone back to his younger self?

She barely managed to catch a glimpse of his eyes, but Ahsoka would swear up and down that they were _blue_ , not yellow, which did little to put her mind at ease.

Ahsoka barely noticed Skyguy passing off the woman (who looked _far_ too much like Padme o be a coincidence) and going back in to retrieve someone else- and emerging with that murderous _piece of Bantha-_

 _Language, Snips._

Ahsoka snapped back to reality, noticing that Skyguy was now looking at her with _that_ smirk on his ugly mug. _Stupid Jedi turned Sith turned-_

 _Grandfather, Ahsoka._

Ahsoka's eyes about fell out of her head.

"Come," she said, fixing old Luke (who had materialized out of nowhere) with a look that said "explain this."

* * *

The crew of the _Falcon_ were taken to Ahsoka's little cottage outside of Theed. There wasn't a reliable doctor nearby, and Ahsoka had learned some tricks in her time as an exile.

Like, how to properly heal the most grievous of wounds.

Since Padme's should-have-been-fatal-but-somehow-not wound was slowly healing by itself (Ahsoka could accelerate the process later), the ex-Padawan turned her attention to that _murderous little twerp_ -

"Watch it, Ahsoka. He's family to me."

"And family mattered _so much_ to you," Ahsoka spat.

"More than you know," Anakin said, with _deep_ regret heavy in his voice, and Ahsoka realized that she had crossed a line. Not that she particularly cared at the moment, because there was a man dying on the floor of her living room- and he needed to live so that he could face justice, not because of any sympathy on her part.

As Ahsoka meditated, entering the calm currents of the Force, Anakin suddenly felt _really_ tired, so he went and laid down next to Padme, keeping his hand firmly in hers.

* * *

 **P.S. Be sure to check out my profile for more awesome fics, including:**

 **1\. My latest, _Boots to the Ground: Beginning,_ where an OC character gets thrown into the Galaxy Far, Far Away and must adapt.**

 **2\. The first exclusive Captain America/Wonder Woman crossover, _New Recruit,_ where Steve Rogers steals Wonder Woman away from the badly-maligned DCEU to the MCU. Based on the HISHE for _Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice_.**

 **3\. Want Some Advice? An older Anakin Skywalker gives advice to Mako from _Legend of Korra_ about the young man's love life.**


	14. Chapter 14- Skywalker Slap Fest 2

**A/N: I still do not own _Star Wars._ I apologize for the long interval, but I've been rather busy. Anyhow.. **

**Denz-El: Hang on a chapter.**

 **Phoenix Brooke: I think this chapter will answer your question.**

 **CharlotteCAgain: Anakin's greatest strength (and greatest weakness) has been his devotion to his family.**

 **ACSkywalker: Ahsoka, to me, is a survivor. She survived Vader at that Temple (spoiler alert for _Rebels_.) She survived Luke's Academy burning to the ground. If I had to wager a guess, she'd be around 70 at this point (which is not a bad thing; Dooku beat the snot out of Anakin and Obi-Wan at 80.)**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 14- Skywalker Slap Fest, Round 2**

Rey was… tired.

She (and the rest of her newly discovered family) had been running around nonstop for what felt like days, and had severely crippled the First Order's biggest remaining gun- the _Finalizer_.

So, while Grandpa Anakin snoozed, she and Finn took a walk outside. And by walk, Rey supported Finn as he limped along.

They made it to the edge of the hill, and were treated to one of the best views in the area.

Finn smiled. "It's beautiful." Then, realizing how that _might_ sound, he added, "but not as much as you."

 _SMACK!_

"Ow!" Finn stumbled back, and almost fell over due to his balance still being a bit lacking. "What was _that_ for?"

"You _idiot_!" Rey yelled. "You went up against that _monster_! And he _hurt_ you!"

 _Oh._ "He… he hurt you," Finn said. "You got launched into that tree pretty hard. I wasn't about to let that stand."

"But you almost _died_!" Rey answered, still angry, but Finn managed to catch the slight waver in her tone.

"I know," Finn said, his voice much lower in volume. "I know. I was a soldier for those guys, remember? There were many times where I would have died before then, and what would it have mattered to them? Soldiers are a dime a dozen.

"But then… I ran away from all that, and I met _you_. Suddenly, I had something- some _one_ \- worth fighting for."

Finn smiled at Rey, a small tear forming in his eye. "And suddenly, dying didn't seem so bad after all."

Tears were streaming down Rey's face now. _Well, kriff,_ Finn thought, so he embraced Rey. "I'm sorry, Rey, for scaring you like that."

"You better be," Rey sniffled.

"I hear you made the guy pay, though."

"Kriff yeah I did." The two pulled apart for a brief moment, locking eyes, before Finn went to kiss her. He was, sadly, interrupted.

"Excuse me."

The two young people jumped apart, as Luke Skywalker himself stood there, a smile hiding under that beard.

"Oh, Ma- Father," Rey said, her cheeks flushing. "Finn and I were just…"

"I know," Luke said, and Finn couldn't help but chuckle. _Like father, like son_. "Would you mind giving us a moment, Finn?"

"Sure." And Finn limped back to the cottage, as Luke used the Force to pull up a couple chairs, and sat down in one, motioning to Rey to sit in the other.

"There was a time, my daughter, where I was head-over-heels for someone." Rey could hear the sadness in Luke. "At first, it was your aunt. I had no idea we were siblings for the longest time, and Obi-Wan never told me about it until _much_ later.

"Then, I met your mother. She was… firey. I may have said it before, but you remind me entirely too much of her- not that it's a bad thing. Live is boring without a little fire to spice things up from time to time.

"But now… I look at you and Finn, and I see me and your mom. I only wish she were here now to see it."

 _I'm right here, Farmboy._

* * *

Rey heard the voice, and sat up, trying to find out who said that.

Luke, however, sat ramrod straight, eyes wide as stars, before uttering a single word.

"Mara?"

And that was when she appeared. Long auburn hair, bright green eyes- it was, indeed, Mara Jade.

Rey was utterly frozen. She had seen this face in her dreams, but could never place it. _She_ only had one word in response:

"Mom?"

Mara's spectral form turned to regard her daughter. "Yes, sweetie. It's me."

Rey started legitimately _crying_ now, before Mara reached down, and laid a hand on her daughter's cheek, before somehow walking over to Luke and doing the same, before vanishing.

 _You need to shave, Farmboy._

And now Luke broke down. There was so much he wanted to say, but he'd simply been too shocked to react.

* * *

Meanwhile, Anakin was getting very much reacquainted with an aspect of his life that he would have been perfectly happy to leave behind- nightmares.

The dream started innocently enough. A figure in black, approaching a person who Anakin assumed was Supreme Leader Snoke.

Then, the figure raised a gloved hand- and Snoke died.

Then, the figure turned, and there was Anakin, Luke, Leia, Rey- pretty much all the Skywalkers.

And the figure decimated them one by one, till Anakin was the only one left.

 _This all_ _ **started**_ _with you, so it will_ _ **end**_ _with you._

Anakin sat bolt upright, breathing heavily again. Padme was still out like a light. Luke was nowhere to been seen. Rey and Finn were gone. Kylo Ren- Ben Solo- was unconscious on the floor a few steps away.

And ol' Snips was watching him with a steel gaze.

"Hey, 'Soka."

"Stuff it, _Vader_."

 _Ouch._ "Can we talk?"

Ahsoka nodded. "Let's go outside."

So they went out back, where Anakin could see the rather lush garden Ahsoka had set up. Anakin inspected one of the plants, gathering his words, before turning. "Ahsoka, I-"

 _SMACK!_

"All of _this…._ Is all _your_ fault," Ahsoka said, gesturing all around them, venom in her voice. "It all, somehow, traces back to you."

"I know," Anakin answered.

"Do you?" Ahsoka questioned.

"Believe me… I do. I know that Ben idolized me, even as a child. I know that Alderaan, the Hosnian system are _gone_. I know that a lot of people died because of me.

"Believe me, _Snips,_ I know."

"Then _how the bloody kriffin'-_ "

"Language," Anakin warned instinctively, which got him another slap and a "shut up, Skyguy!"

"-are you _still alive_?"

"Because I _willed it_."

"And Padme?"

"That one wasn't me, actually."

"That's… impossible."

Anakin shrugged. "I was angry. I was tired of everything falling apart _again_ because of me. So I came back to do something about it."

"At what cost?" Ahsoka asked. "You Fell once, and look what happened. What happens if you Fall again?"

"I won't," Anakin retorted. "I won't, because I have a family now. A family that will _kill_ me if I do that again."

"Color me unconvinced. I saw what you did to Kylo Ren-"

"How did you know?"

"-I could tell. Padme was injured, he was injured, you fly off the handle when Padme gets injured- honestly, I'm surprised more people didn't _connect the dots_ about you two?"

"And when did _you_ figure it out?"

"The Blue Shadow Virus. That, and Barriss Offee introduced me to fanfiction. You two made too much sense." Ahsoka grimaced a little at the mention of Barriss, and Anakin remembered how Barriss had become an Inquisitor under his watch.

"And you didn't tell me," Anakin said, "because…?"

"I respected you too much."

"At least you didn't _fear_ me. Entirely too many people did that."

"True. But look, Anakin, I worry now that you're running about the galaxy once more. I don't want to have to fight you- again."

"You won't, Ahsoka," Anakin said. "I will _die_ before I go down that road again."

* * *

Meanwhile, on another planet, somewhere far, far away from the Skywalker family reunion…

Snoke was meditating. He was trying to reach out to Kylo Ren- but someone had put up some strong barriers to keep him out.

 _Skywalker_.

Snoke rubbed his temple, his long, bony finger tracing the scar that Reaver had left him millennia ago. Snoke hated that he had to resort to waking _that_ ancient Sith Lord up, but Snoke was quite aware that he was not up to the task of taking on a Skywalker- but the feats of the Sith of old were _legend_.

And so, when the figure in black approached, Snoke smiled.

"Reaver, my old friend. It is a pleasure to see you-"

"SILENCE." The figure's voice boomed through the chamber, as he raised one arm, and used the Force to squeeze Snoke.

"Re-Reaver…" Snoke pleaded. "P-please… _stop_."

Snoke mustered a powerful Force blast, but it didn't even faze Reaver. "No… _you_ stop. Stop _toying_ with your foes. I have been watching you."

Reaver pulled Snoke to him, until the old crone was actually in Reaver's physical grip, not just his Force grip.

Reaver's face turned, and though the ancient Sith lacked eyes, Snoke knew he was staring straight at him.

"I will deal with these… _Skywalkers_ myself."

Snoke's eyes rolled into his head, and Reaver summoned two Stormtroopers. "Remove this corpse. Burn it, and have my shuttle ready for departure."

The Troopers, to their credit, did not even flinch at the sight of their _Supreme Leader_ lying dead on the ground, and hurried to execute their orders.

Reaver sat on Snoke's chair, seeing through the Force. Or, more specifically, the Dark Side, searching for…

 _Ah. There. Naboo. Such a lovely planet…. Such a_ _ **waste**_ _._

* * *

 **Why yes, I did end it there. Please Review down below, and if you like this, head on over to my profile for more!**


	15. Chapter 15- Onslaught Part 1

**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars_. I do apologize for the lengthy delay.**

 **In regards to Reaver, he is an OC of loyal reader J. Hellsycthe. Speaking of the readers...**

 **J. Hellscythe: Sith Lords do not have allies, _per se_ ; they merely have pawns that are told they are allies. Reaver and Snoke had some bad blood, and now that Reaver is awake, he means business.**

 **Leytra Incorporated: Who is Jack Harkness?**

 **Denz-El:**

 **1\. No, but if Finn is a Calrissian, then I won't complain.**

 **2\. Ah, Mara Jade. If _Star Wars: Rebels_ can (SPOILER ALERT) pull Thrawn from the Aether, then she may come next. (I think it's Luke + Jyn = Rey, but if it isn't Jyn but Mara Jade, then I won't complain.) **

**3\. That would be quite nice.**

 **4\. Snoke is a Sith wannabe. What happens when an _actual_ Sith shows up?**

 **Rufescent: Anakin is somewhat aware that it's not _entirely_ his fault, but he still did some horrible things as Vader. He can't get over that, and that's part of his arc in this fic. The other arc is trying to adjust to this new world.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 15- Onslaught, Part 1- Calm Before The Storm**

Kylo Ren awoke to a _world_ of pain.

 _Ohhhh….. where's the Starfighter that hit me?_

As his vision cleared up, the young soldier took in his surroundings. A little cottage, obviously lived in, and a young woman laying unconscious on the floor.

Oh, and there was his grandfather, sitting in a chair, looking down on him. Kylo froze, a lump forming in his throat.

"Hello, grandson," Anakin Skywalker said, his voice even. "How are you?"

"Very… sore… milor-"

"Do _not_ call me 'milord'", Anakin snapped. "I am not Vader anymore. Get up."

"Excuse me?" Kylo asked.

"I _said_ get. UP."

"But… my leg…"

"Do you _want_ me to finish the job I started on that ship?" Anakin growled, his voice dropping into that deadly octave once again. "I was going to _kill_ you on the spot for hurting my _wife_ \- _your grandmother_. She, however, has more heart than I do, and so you were spared. Now. _GET. UP._ "

 _Kriff,_ Kylo thought. _This man doesn't mess around…_

"You're right, I don't. Now come along. _Last chance_."

Kylo, with great effort, hauled himself up to a standing position, and with even greater effort, followed Anakin out the door. He could see his lightsaber, which Anakin still possessed. He wanted so badly to reach out and claim it, but he was too badly beaten; Anakin would legitimately kill him in an instant.

* * *

The pair walked a short distance away from the little cottage, to a cliff overlooking the valley below. Here, Anakin sat down, legs crossed.

"Sit."

Kylo did as instructed.

"You tried so hard to be me," Anakin said. "In that, I wager you succeeded. We are entirely too much alike, but there was a time when we weren't.

"Were you ever told my story?"

"I knew you were Darth Vader," Kylo answered. "I knew all about your exploits during the Empire."

"I see." Anakin said, swallowing down the guilt. "You weren't told my story after all."

Kylo looked confused. "I… I wasn't?"

"No. You were told about _Darth Vader_ , not Anakin Skywalker. I wonder if Leia, Captain Solo, or Luke ever planned on it."

"They said they would, when I was old enough."

"Well, you're old enough now. Ben, if there is one thing you must know, it is that I was a slave for my entire life. I was raised a slave on Tatooine until the age of nine, when the Jedi found me.

"I didn't realize until _much_ later that I had just traded one master for thirteen; the Jedi Council and my mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Why do you say that?" Kylo asked.

"Because there was some stupid prophecy about a 'Chosen One' bringing balance to the Force. They thought that it was me, so they pushed me to the limit, even as they looked down upon me because I was too old, they said, when I started."

"That… seems ridiculously unfair."

"It was. Reminds me of you."

Kylo's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

Anakin's lips formed a thin line. "You are older than Rey, thereby making you the heir to the legacy of your parents and uncle. They were, and still are legends, respected by all because they stopped the Empire. In the eyes of many, Luke Skywalker walked into a room with _the Emperor and Darth Vader_ and was the only survivor."

Anakin looked away, gazing off towards the horizon. "But when they look at you, they do not see _you_ , but they see the next Skywalker, so they set the bar high for you, didn't they?"

Kylo Ren nodded, a tear forming in his eye.

"Tell me, kid. Did killing your father change anything?"

"No," Kylo said, his voice very quiet. "It didn't. I murdered him, and I still feel the Light."

"I didn't think it would," Anakin said. _Here we go._ "You did not murder him."

"But…. But… I ran him through myself!"

Anakin shook his head. "I know. I _saw_. But there was more to it than that."

"What… what do you mean?"

"Well…." Anakin said. "Someday, when you have a child of your own, you will understand. You will look into that infant's eyes, and think to yourself that you will do anything for them. _Anything_. I never got that moment with Luke and Leia, but Captain Solo had that moment with you. I… reminded him of that."

"What?"

"Open your mind," Anakin said.

Kylo did so, and this is what he saw….

* * *

 _Captain Solo lay in his cot, unable to sleep. He knew what was coming. He knew what he had to do._

 _He just wasn't sure if he had the strength to do it._

" _Captain."_

 _The old scoundrel was up in a flash, blaster drawn. "Who's there?"_

" _I am."_

 _And Anakin Skywalker appeared out of nowhere. To say that Han was shocked was… an understatement._

" _You son of a… a…. what, in all the kriffing hells, are you doing here?"_

" _We need to talk, Captain. You can see me because of your connection to my daughter."_

" _What about?"_

" _Your son."_

" _What about my son?"_

" _You realize that there is… a high chance… that he_ will _kill you."_

" _Yes."_

" _Let him."_

"WHAT?" Han shouted.

" _Captain… Han… I never got the chance to be there for my family when they needed me most. What I did… all of it… I did for them, for my wife, my children. I would have done anything for them, and if given the chance, I would change things, I certainly would._

" _But you…. You have the chance to do what I could not. Ben needs you, Han. He is trapped- I can feel it. If he does not kill you, Snoke may kill him. Do you want that?"_

" _No."_

" _I wish it didn't have to come to this, Captain."_

" _Should've thought it through."_

" _I know that now."_

" _Although… to be fair, I have seen holos of her, your wife. A woman like that… drives a man to do_ crazy _things."_

 _Anakin chuckled. "You don't know the_ half _of it."_

" _I can imagine; I married your daughter."_

" _Fair point," Anakin admitted. May the Force be with you, Captain."_

" _Yea."_

* * *

"You…. You…." Kylo Ren was speechless. "You….."

"I know," Anakin said. "You may have held the weapon, but did you really think that Captain Solo would have let you kill him so easily? He could have said 'no, kriff you Vader' and not even gone near you. But he _did_. _He_ turned that saber towards him; _he_ pressed the button.

"Your father died as he lived- on his own terms. Now, you live on yours. Don't be what I was; I was enslaved for all my life. The Hutts, Watto, the Jedi, the Sith, it doesn't matter. I am _free_ , Ben, and if you let me, I will show you what it is like."

And with that, Anakin unhooked Kylo's lightsaber from his belt, and held it between them. Kylo Ren did not take it, though.

Ben Solo did, and Anakin let him have it.

"Now, let me show you some healing techniques."

"That would be nice," Ben answered, shifting in place, and groaning as he did so. "You are a savage fighter."

"What did you expect?"

"I don't know. I…." Ben's words died on his lips as he felt the Force recoil, before falling on his back.

Anakin straightened. "Ben!"

"It's Snoke…" Ben said. "He's…. _gone_. I can't… sense him. It's… so… _cold_. Why is it…so… c-cold?"

Anakin closed his eyes, looking into the Force. _Oh no…._

"Ben! Ben, listen to me," Anakin said, leaning over his grandson and lightly slapping his cheek. "Focus on my voice. Don't go into the light, Ben. Come back… _COME BACK."_

Ben was convulsing on the ground, now. _This is no Force Migraine,_ Anakin thought. _This is worse._

So, Anakin delved into the Force again.

Back in the cottage, Rey and Finn were asleep, when the young scavenger started convulsing, too.

"Rey? REY!"

Finn's shouting brought Ahsoka into the room. _Oh Force…._

"That's not good."

"What?" Finn asked. "What's not good?"

"Take her hand," Ahsoka instructed. "Something… Dark is coming."

* * *

And in hyperspace, a Sith Lord grinned.

 _Here I come._

* * *

 **Why yes, I did end it there. How evil of me. If you like this, Review, and head on over to my profile to see more. I have two crossover one-shots, _Spectre_ and _Pummel_ , that could use some love.**


	16. Chapter 16- Onslaught Part 2

**A/N: I still do not own _Star Wars_. I do apologize for the long wait, but that election, though. I'm happy it's over. Also, congrats to the Cubs!**

 **J. Hellscythe- I'll stop teasing. You may hate my guts after this, but we've only just begun.**

 **Kurochach- That's pretty much the idea.**

 **CharlotteCAgain- The way I see it, Han died as he lived- on his own terms. He could have ignored Ghost Anakin's advice, but he didn't. I think Han let Ben kill him because if he didn't do it, then Snoke would probably kill him, and no parent wants their child to come to harm like that. I can't wait to see if I'm right.**

 **Denz-El: I managed two out of three.**

 **AU Extraordinare- I was actually a bit surprised that no one had tried this yet. Back when I first started writing, it was two months after the premiere, so I guess I was just ahead of the curb.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 16- Onslaught, Part 2- Death In The Family**

Anakin was _not_ panicking. He wasn't.

After all, his grandchildren were only being mentally assaulted by a newly awoken ancient Sith Lord. That's a completely normal occurrence.

Anakin grabbed Ben and bolted back into the cottage, where Rey was convulsing on the floor. Padme was still comatose.

Carefully laying Ben next to Rey, Anakin sat down beside them. "Ahsoka," he said, "it's a Sith technique. I need to get this guy out of their heads. I fear that whoever this Sith is may be on his way here."

Ahsoka nodded. "I understand. I'll hold them off as long as possible. Good luck, Skyguy."

After a moment, Anakin replied, feeling an odd twinge in his heart. "May the Force be with you, Snips."

Ahsoka smiled thinly, before rushing outside. Anakin turned to Finn and Luke.

"Take their hands. Tether them to the Light. Remain calm, Finn, and all will hopefully be well."

"Hopefully?" Finn asked.

"The Force works in ways you cannot even _begin_ to imagine," Luke answered.

Finn nodded, taking one of Rey's hands in his. He closed his eyes, and started to breathe. Beside him, Anakin and Luke did the same.

 _In… Out. In…. Out. In…. Out…._

* * *

Far above the Skywalkers' heads, a small ship dropped from hyperspace. At the helm was the ship's captain and first mate.

"Ya know," the first mate, whose nametag read W. W. Wilson, drawled. "The guy in back kinda creeps me out."

"How so?" The captain- whose tag read J. Harkness, asked.

Wilson shrugged. "I dunno, Jackie-poo. Maybe it's the all-black attire. Or maybe it's the fact that he _doesn't have any eyes_ and yet seems to know exactly where I'm at."

"Can't argue with that," Jack agreed. "I heard he offed Snoke."

Wilson's eyebrow went up. "He did _what_?"

"Yep. A buddy of mine, LA-8TR, was on guard duty. Says he saw Snoke's corpse himself, and that guy was standin' over it all menacing and stuff."

"Geez. 'Bout time, I say. The man looked he was gonna keel over at any moment."

"And for _that_ ," Jack said, smiling, " _You_ get to be the one to tell him we land in ten minutes."

"Why me?"

"Because I'm Captain. Now go."

"Fine," Wilson grumbled. _Shoulda been captain; it's not_ _ **my**_ _fault that I can sense the fans reading this garbage right now._

Wilson trudged to the back of the ship, where their new Avatar of Darkness (as he demanded everyone refer to him as) was meditating. Wilson could hear the words echoing off the monster's lips.

"….Pain shall be my sword…."

The manner in which it was said- so casual, yet so intense- made Wilson's skin crawl.

"….Pain shall be my scepter. Tyranny…. Shall be my crown."

 _Man, this dude is creepy,_ Wilson thought.

 _I heard that, ant._

Wilson screamed like his little sister Gwen as Reaver stood up to his full height. "We have arrived," the ancient Sith said.

"Y-yes, we have, milord," Wilson stammered out.

"Good." After a brief pause, Reaver… smiled.

"Have the captain land. There is a small cottage outside of Theed."

Wilson nodded, before walking at a faster-than-proper pace. Even a blind man could tell that Reaver's smile meant that someone was going to die, and it was probably not going to be pretty.

* * *

Within the swirling currents of the Force, Anakin felt… _cold_.

 _The Darkness… it's everywhere…._

Luke appeared beside him.

 _I've never seen anything like this. Not even over Endor._

 _Neither have I, Son._

 _ **JEDI.**_

 _What do you want?_ Anakin asked.

 _ **I WANT WHAT ALL SITH WANT- TO RULE. YOUR PATHETIC LIGHT STANDS NO CHANCE.**_

 _Why attack them?_ Luke asked. _Why attack my daughter and nephew?_

 _ **BECAUSE I CAN. BECAUSE THEIR COMBINED POWER IS IMMENSE.**_

 _Why not_ _ **me**_ _?_ Anakin asked.

 _ **TO PUNISH YOU. THE PRICE OF BETRAYAL IS HIGH. DID YOU REALLY THINK YOU COULD ESCAPE IT?**_

 _Leave them_ _ **alone**_ _._

As this exchange occurred, Luke saw something. Whoever this Sith was, he was using the same practice Ren had used on Rey back during her training.

 _Father…. I can save them._

 _Do it._

 _ **YES, JEDI. DO IT. IT WILL NOT STOP ME. I WILL MERELY EXTRACT PAYMENT… ELSEWHERE.**_

And with that, Reaver disconnected from Rey and Ben, and all involved woke up.

"Urgh…" Anakin grunted. _The Dark Side really takes it out of you_.

"They're stirring, sir," Finn said.

"Good."

"Father?" Luke asked. "What Reaver said about 'extracting payment elsewhere', what did he mean?"

"I don't know, Son. I…" And then, Anakin's eyes widened. _**NO!**_

Anakin bolted from the cottage.

 _Please, no._

Latching on to the presence of his former Padawan in the Force, Anakin ran like a man possessed, eventually coming up upon a ridge that overlooked the valley below.

What he saw, he would later have a hard time describing.

Ahsoka was twirling and dodging and _moving_ , locked in a battle with a monster in black. Her twin white lightsabers clashed again and again with the Sith's red crossgaurd. Unlike Ben's saber, the blade was stable.

Anakin rushed in, his blue saber crashing against the Sith's. Reaver broke off, pointing his saber down in what is supposed to be a peaceful gesture.

Reaver smiled. "Lord Vader. It is an honor to meet you at last."

"My name is _Anakin_ you _monster_."

"Come now. Surely the Darkness still calls to you."

"Oh, it does," Anakin said. "I just refuse to listen to it."

"And what do you call your display when that pathetic Knight almost killed your lover?"

"She is my _wife_ ," Anakin said, his self-control starting to slip. _No… not now. Not ever_. "If you loved someone the way I love her, you'd understand."

"I likely would. But I do not worry myself with such petty things as _love_ , Skywalker. And soon… you will have no concerns whatsoever."

And then the duel began again in earnest. Despite the fact that he only possessed one saber, Reaver proved quite adept, keeping both Anakin and Ahsoka at bay with ease.

And with only one hand firmly gripping the saber. The other one was shooting Force Lightning at random intervals.

 _I hate this guy_ , Anakin thought.

 _ **I heard that**_ , Reaver replied.

"Well, _kriff you_ too!" Ahsoka shouted.

Reaver broke off, smiling. "Yes… I believe I will."

Anakin found he couldn't move. Literally. _No…_

Ahsoka had no time to react before Reaver moved, his saber impaling Ahsoka in the same way Ben had impaled Padme days before.

"NO!" Anakain shouted, rushing full tilt, now free of whatever Sith move Reaver had just pulled. Speaking of the monster, Reaver had disappeared.

"Snips…" Anakin said, cradling his former Padawan's head. _No… Please, no…_

"I'll… be _fine_ , Skyguy," Ahsoka wheezed. "Just… promise me…"

"Yes, Ahsoka," Anakin said, biting back sobs.

"Don't… _Fall_ ….again… _Please?_ "

"I won't, Ahsoka," Anakin promised, and he meant it. "I won't…"

Ahsoka smiled. "Good… May the Force be with you…"

And that was that.

Anakin could never remember how long he stayed there, rocking back and forth, bawling like an infant. He later found that Ben Solo had been the first to find him.

* * *

That night, Ahsoka was laid to rest in the manner of the old Jedi Order. Anakin lit her pyre.

Ben and Rey stood together.

"So this is the price you pay…" Ben said, to no one in particular.

"Indeed," Rey nodded. "It's… sad. It's like she was an aunt."

"She was to me," Ben said. "I would often go to her for advice after a hard day."

Anakin and Padme stood closest to the pyre.

"Ani… if you need to talk, I'm here."

"I…I… I can't, Angel. Not right now. I will, though. I just need… time."

Padme nodded. She was still a little weak, and had to lean on Anakin for support, but there was no denying the strength hidden underneath.

* * *

Several days later, the _Falcon_ was repaired, the little cottage Ahsoka had once owned been given away, and the family left.

This was _war_ , now.


	17. Chapter 17- Grief

**A/N: This is the last chapter of _Avenging Angel_. There will be a sequel in the works, but that will be a while- there are a few other projects I want to pursue. I apologize for the delay- I was stuck for a while, and then Carrie Fisher passed away, so I wanted to address it properly.**

 **Review response time:**

 **Phoenix Brooke: Who knows?**

 **Zerousy: It is. Someone else asked about it (I forget who), so I figured, _why not_?**

 **ThunderSphinx: I bet she would.**

* * *

 **Star Wars: Avenging Angel, Chapter 17- Grief**

Leia Organa was… unwell.

It had started not long after she had felt Han's death- a small tick in her heart. She hadn't thought much of it recently, until she'd collapsed in the command center and rushed to the infirmary.

Poe paced in the waiting area. _Oh Force,_ he pleaded, _let her live. Who_ _ **else**_ _is going to lead us?_

The doctor came out. "It's not good, Commander. She doesn't have much time."

Poe nodded. "I understand. Can she have visitors?"

"Yes. Be aware- she may not hear you right away."

Poe headed back. On his way, his comm sounded. " _Commander, we have a visual on the_ Falcon."

Poe exhaled. _Oh joy._ "Let Master Skywalker know what has transpired, and direct him to the infirmary."

" _Yes, sir_."

* * *

Oddly enough, it was Padme who sensed something wrong.

Still weak from her injuries, Padme managed to grab Anakin's arm as he moved through the crew section.

"Ani… something is wrong."

Anakin stopped (because Padme's instincts were still sharp) and reached out through the Force. _NO…_

Luke seemed to have sensed it too, as he ran through the ship at a speed no man his age should realistically have. Rey was hot on his heels.

Anakin had only an instant to process all this, before hollering "FINN!"

The man himself strode in, his jacket half-on.

"Finn, help Padme to the infirmary. I'll grab Ben."

"Sure, Anakin. What happened?"

"General Organa is dying."

* * *

As much as Anakin hated to admit it, the one upside to Darth Vader was that Anakin finally learned how to perfect masking his emotions. Such a skill came in handy now, as he and the Skywalker clan trudged through the Resistance base.

Upon arriving in the infirmary, Anakin all but hollered "Where is General Organa?"

One of the orderlies, who almost jumped out of her skin, replied "Down the hall- first door on the right."

Ben moved first, limping into the designated room. When Rey and Finn moved to follow, Anakin held them back.

"Don't," He said gently. "Ben needs to do this. We cannot interfere."

"But- Aunt Leia-" Rey started.

 _I know_ , Anakin thought, mournfully- the thought of one of _his_ children dying was something he and Padme would have to work through. Through the Force, Anakin reached out to Rey. _Ben means her no harm. Trust me_.

* * *

 _It's been too long_ , Ben thought. _Too kriffing long_.

It was surreal, in a sense, seeing his mother laying there on the cot, the steady beeping of the monitors reassuring the young Force user that she still lived.

Ben sat down at the side of the bed, as close to Leia as he dared. It occurred to him, in that moment, that he realized that he didn't know what to say. He settled for taking Leia's hand in his for the moment.

"…Ben…?"

The poor boy choked on his response. "Yeah, Mom. It's me. It's… Ben."

"Oh," Leia smiled. "My sweet boy. Welcome home."

"Thanks, Mom." Ben paused. "I'm so, so _sorry_ , Mom…"

"Shhh…." Leia said, wiping a tear that Ben didn't even realize was there from his face. "You came _home_. That's all… we wanted…."

"St-stay with me, Mom."

"Ben… promise me… you won't go back?"

"I…" Ben said. _This was_ not _happening_. "I promise, Mom."

Leia smiled. "Good. Give 'em hell for me, would you?"

Ben smiled, his lip upturned in the same manner as his father. "Yes, Mom."

Leia nodded, her eyes drooping closed as the monitor flatlined.

"M-mom?" Ben cried, before a hand came to rest on his shoulder.

* * *

Anakin _hated_ funerals.

The funeral for his daughter was lovely, and everyone on base was in attendance. Many people that had known her spoke, and while they were kind and respectful, Anakin was just… _there_.

He'd been running on something of an autopilot for the past few days, ever since he'd felt it in the Force that Leia had passed. As a result, it took Finn snapping his fingers for the former Sith to fully take in his surroundings.

 _Kriff… wait… where's Padme_?

"Thanks, kid," was all Anakin said to Finn before he vanished, searching the base for his wife. _Where'd she go…?_

Anakin finally found her by a tree, standing stock still, looking out at the sunset.

"Angel…"

Padme turned. " _Why,_ Ani?"

If it was possible for Anakin's heart to break any further, it did. It certainly robbed Anakin of the ability to speak for a few brief moments. He settled for embracing his wife."I don't know…"

"S'not _fair_ ," Padme all but wailed. "Kids bury their parents, not- not…"

… _Parents bury their kids._ The words went unspoken. "I know, honey, I know…"

And that was when Anakin finally cried.

* * *

Ben Solo was alone.

He just couldn't deal with people right now.

"Ben?"

It was Uncle Luke _._

Ben sighed. "Yes?"

"You okay?"

"I…I…" and Ben broke down. He barely registered the old Jedi wrapping him in a hug, before he started crying, too.

* * *

And elsewhere, an old Sith Lord plotted and schemed.

 _The Darkness will not be denied._

General Hux- bootlicker that he was- stood at attention.

"General Hux… how soon can our forces be mobilized?"

"A week, milord. Where shall we strike?"

Darth Reaver grinned. "Everywhere."

* * *

 **Thanks to everyone!**


End file.
